Rejecting Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s announcement of `3 lakh ex-gratia for the families of the children, who have died due to Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in Malkangiri district, the Congress would stage a road blockade at all district headquarters across the State on Monday demanding a `12-lakh compensation.
PCC vice-president Pradip Majhi, who is on a dharna for last five days in front of the Raj Bhavan here against the lackadaisical attitude of the Patnaik Government for tribals said, “While the Government is giving a compensation of `12 lakh for accidental deaths in Bhubaneswar, it has a paltry ex-gratia of `3 lakh for the JE victims.”
“Are we (tribals) second class peopleIJ” Majhi demanded to know and said no one is satisfied with the compensation amount declared by the Government.
“Protesting the announcement, we will stage road blockade at all district headquarters across for two hours from 10 am to 12 noon,” Majhi added.
He said the Congress would also press its demand for filling up of 55 vacant posts of doctors in tribals-dominated Malkangiri district.