Chandy to observe 24-hr fast on fever issue

Thiruvananthapuram, July 31 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Oommen Chandy will observe a 24-hour fast in front of the state Secretariat here on August 3 in protest against the failure of the government to contain viral fever.

Briefing newspersons here after a meeting of the Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front(UDF), front convener P P Thankachan said the government had failed miserably to contain the disease even after it claimed about 750 lives and affected 1.6 million people.

Though the state government had announced financial assistance for those affected by the disease, no one had received it yet.

Similarly, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government had scuttled a health insurance scheme initiated by the previous UDF Government, he added.

Stating the Opposition had suggested a number of steps to the Chief Minister to prevent the spread of the disease, he said the state government, especially the Health Department, was taking a negative approach towards it.

It was in this context that the UDF decided to go for a 24 hours satyagraha from 1000 hrs on August 3 to mount pressure on the state government to take effective steps, he added.

UNI