Opp seek steps to check spread of Chikungunya

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 3: The Congress-led opposition in Kerala today demanded that steps on a war-footing be implemented to check the spread of chikungunya, which had claimed several lives in Cherthala taluk of Alappuzha district.

Raising the issue through a submission in the State Assembly, Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy said 65 people had died of the disease and nearly 20,000 affected people were in hospitals in Cherthala and other hospitals in Alappuzha district.

He urged the government to chalk out programmes with public participation for the eradication of mosquitoes, which spread the disease.

Replying to the submission, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said all possible steps had been taken to combat the disease.

State Health Minister P K Sreemathi was camping in Alappuzha supervising the measures being taken by the Health Department to check the spread of the disease and to provide relief to the affected people.

He said monitoring committees had been constituted at the state and district level to co-ordinate the activities initiated by the government against the spread of the disease.

The Chief Minister said Central assistance had also been sought to provide relief to the affected people.

UNI