Malkangiri: Protesting the failure of the State Government in curbing the spread of the Japanese Encephalitis (JE), the Zilla Adivasi Samaj Mahasangh resorted to a 12-hour Malkangiri bandh today affecting normal life in the district.
While vehicular movements on the roads have been disrupted, shops and other business establishments have remained close. Members of the body were also seen picketing at various places. The tribal body would also gherao the district Collector’s office tomorrow protesting the rising deaths of children due to the vector-borne disease. They would also submit a memorandum to the Collector.
The body alleged that it has been two months since the disease broke out in the district but the State government is yet to contain its spread. Instead of taking prompt action to stop the disease from spreading further, the government is busy in reviewing the situation,” said Mahasangh president Ghanshyam Madkami.
The body demanded Rs 10 lakh compensation to the family members of each child died due to the disease, declaration of JE death incident as a national calamity and use of Adivasi language in the awareness drives carried out by the district administration.
Notably, the disease has so far claimed 94 lives in the district. Despite various steps and awareness drives undertaken by the Health Department and the district administration, the situation is not under control yet.
Meanwhile, the death toll in Japanese Encephalitis in the district mounted to 95 with the death of an 18-month old baby girl at the district headquarters hospital.
The deceased has been identified as 18-month-old baby girl Laxmi Ogel of Gorakhpali village of Padia block.
The family of the deceased girl had brought her from the DHH 15 days ago after she was cured. But as the disease relapsed again, she was admitted to the ICU of the DHH this morning where she died.