Munde accuses Govt of negligence in checking Chikungunya

Aurangabad, Maharashtra, July 27 (UNI) Senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde today charged the Democratic Front (DF) Government with criminal negligence in addressing the repeated outbreaks of Chikungunya in Marathwada, as well as other parts of the State.

Addressing a press conference here today, Mr Munde claimed that the disease has already claimed about 100 lives, and charged the DF Government with its total failure in preventing the spread of Chikungunya, and demanded a financial assistance of Rs 800-1200 to the people below poverty line (BPL) for undertaking treatment.

Mr Munde told reporters that he had toured some parts of the Marathwada and found that about 40 per cent of the poupulation of the Aurangabad division (eight districts) has been gripped by Chikungunya.

The former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister pointed out that majority of the people in the region prefer treatment from the private hospitals in absence of medicines at the Government-run hospitals and primary health centres.

Mr Munde said the patients needed a compulsory rest for about 10-15 days and were thus, finding it difficult to maintain their daily needs, especially in the cases of poor families.

The region, which has already been under the shadow of drought and witnessed a series of suicides by the farmers, is finding it difficult to face the yet another challenge in absence of a positive approach by the Government machinery, Mr Munde alleged.

Meanwhile, according to information gathered from health authories in Aurangabad and Latur, about 9,406 people from Marathwada have been affected by Chikungunya so far.

The authorities, however, denied any death reported due to the disease and said they are taking every precaution to prevent the spread of the disease.

Deputy Director (Health) Dr P R Jakkal said that there are a total of 3,543 people affected by Chikungunya in Aurangabad rural, followed by 122 in Hingoli and 279 in Aurangabad city.

Information available at Latur said 3,052 people have been affected by Chikungunya in Beed district, followed by 1,371 in Nanded and 89 in Osmanabad district.

The health authorities have undertaken various measures including fogging, cleaniliness and a drive of dry day in the affected regions to prevent the spread, Dr Jakkal said.

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