Amid the continuing death of children in Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in Malkangiri, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and his BJP teamon Monday visited the district and said children are not dying merely in JE but also due to malaria, dengue and malnutrition.
“The health index in Malkangiri district is very poor. Children are not only dying here due to JE but also in malaria, dengue, malnutrition, etc,” said Pradhan after visiting some affected areas and the Malkangiri District Headquarters Hospital (DHH).
Batting for long-term measures, Pradhan said, “Simply crisis management is not the solution. Rather, it needs a perennial and long-term measure. Our focus should be on massive awareness among the people here and to ensure that the inhabitants here become self-reliant. The Centre is ready to extend all helps to the State.”
During his visit, Pradhan along with other BJP leaders, including party State president Basant Panda, legislature Party leader KV Singh Deo and Bhurgu Buxipatra met Class-IV student Umesh Madhi of Palkonda village who had written a letter to the Prime Minister seeking his intervention to tackle the JE menace.
The team visited Dariguda and Kalkunda villages, which are most-affected by the deadly virus. In another development, as the State police refused to provide security cover to Pradhan during the visit to this Maoist-infested district, the Union Minister undertook the tour under the security cover of BSF jawans. The team members were also provided bulletproof jackets by the BSF.
Asked about the State police refusing security cover, Pradhan said he would take up the issue with the State Home Secretary.
Earlier, Pradhan had not been allowed by the State police to visit the district on security grounds.