The Zilla Adivasi Samaj Mahasangh on Wednesday gheraoed the Malkangiri district Collectorate protesting the death of 95 kids due to Japanese Encephalitis (JE) so far.
On Tuesday, the tribals’ body had observed a 12-hour Malkangiri Bandh demanding that the deaths be declared national calamity.
Members of the tribal organisation submitted a memorandum addressed to President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue through the district Collector.
Addressing the rally, Mahasangh president Ghanashyam Madkami decried the Government’s failure in protecting the precious lives of tribal children.
The organisation alleged that the State Government had completely failed to contain the killer disease which spread its tentacles in the tribal dominated district around two months ago.
The tribal outfit demanded Rs 10 lakh compensation to the family members of each child who died due to the disease.
The disease has spread in villages under six of the seven blocks in the district. However, no fresh death of children due to JE was reported on Wednesday.