At a time when Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is busy inaugurating new projects keeping an eye on the forthcoming panchayat elections and finding no time to visit Malkangiri district where over 80 children have died due to Japanese Encephalitis (JE), a 10-year-old boy has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealing to him for help to save kids’ lives from the killer disease.
The Chief Minister is busy laying foundation-stones and inaugurating several projects in different districts. But he is yet to visit tribal dominated Malkangiri district to take stock of the alarming situation there and even meet the bereaved families.
“Save our lives. Many of my friends have died of Japanese fever. You are roaming around the globe. Can’t you come over to our village and see how children are dying hereIJ” said Umesh Madhi in his letter to the PM.
Madhi, a student of Class-IV of Polkanda Primary School under Sikapali gram panchayat in Malknagiri, described the ordeal of parents who have lost their children to JE.
He said the Prime Minister is their last hope.