Centre-supplied mosquito nets rotting in Asom godowns

Guwahati, Apr 27 (UNI) More than five lakh mosquito nets supplied by the Centre under national anti-malaria programme are lying unused in the state at a time when malaria has already claimed 74 lives besides affecting hundreds.

According to the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provided 5,20,000 mosquito nets for distribution among the beneficiaries in Asom.

The state health department received the nets by April 7, 2001.

Subsequently, 4.86 lakh nets were dispatched by April 11 to 22 districts for distribution while 33,000 nets were kept in Guwahati by the department.

However, the Government of India issued a directive to the state government to hold back the distribution of the nets without assigning any reason. A central team under the leadership of a Deputy Secretary level officer came to the state and sealed all the godowns where the nets meant for distribution were kept.

The nets are still lying in those godowns and warehouses under lock and key sans any arrangement for their proper preservation.

Moreover, for keeping those nets at rented godowns of the Asom Warehousing Corporation, the state government incurred a wasteful expenditure to the tune of Rs 43 lakh as calculated till end of March last year, the report said.

UNI XC PL KLC1637