Cong led opposition stages walkout over Chickungunya

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 25 (UNI) The Congress-led Opposition staged a walkout in the Kerala Assembly today alleging that the government failed to take effective measures to check the outbreak of Chikungunya in the state, particularly in Alapuzha district.

The walkout came after Electricity Minister A K Balan finished his reply to a submission by Mr K C Venugopal (Cong) on the issue.

The Minister said the government had taken all steps, including appointment of sufficient para medical staff, medicine and even funds to check the outbreak within its limit.

Mr Venugopal alleged that even after spotting the cases of the debilitating viral fever two months back, the state government had not addressed the issue seriously and failed to take any effective steps to check the outbreak as the Health Minister and other ministers were busy attending the Central Committee meeting of the party.

About 36 deaths were reported in the district alone. While over 40,000 people were being treated in various government hospitals, thousands were admitted to private hospitals in Alapuzzha, he pointed out.

Though Homoeopaths and Ayurvedic experts had come up with effective medicines to check the viral disease, the government had failed to co-ordinate the three medical systems, he alleged.

Though the Minister had assured that all steps would be taken on a warfooting to check the outbreak, the Opposition members walked out alleging that the state government was inactive and did not rise to the occasion.

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