In the backdrop of death of children due to Acute Encephalitis, Trinamool Congress member Saugata Roy on Thursday demanded the Government take steps to improve condition of state-run hospitals and reduce child deaths.
Raising the issue of children deaths in the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour, Roy said infrastructure in the Kalawati Saran Children's Hospital in the national capital was not adequate to meet demand of patients.
He said about 6,000 children have died in this hospital in the past six years for various reasons including premature death and respiratory infections.
He also said that the death toll of children due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome has climbed to 150 in Muzaffarpur. Roy said although the union health minister visited the district, he has not yet made any statement in the House.
Raising similar issue, Sanjay Jaiswal from the BJP said a virology centre should be set in Paschim Champaran which is itself free from encephalitis though flanked by the regions -Muzaffarpur, Gorakhpur- which are affected by encephalitis
He also said that awareness programme should be undertaken in areas including Paschim Champaran and Gorakhpur.
On other issue relating to the alleged commissions taken by party workers in West Bengal in the implementation of various government schemes, BJP MP Saumitra Khan sought an inquiry into allegation of funds going into the chief minister and her family's account in relation to the “cut money” issue.
Raising the matter during Zero Hour, Khan said the Bishnupur-Tarkeshwar rail connection has been stalled and accused the MLAs, ministers, councillors, the chief minister and the ruling party of demanding 'cut money' for the project.
“I demand an inquiry into how much fund the chief minister and her family has earned from this cut money,” Khan said.
Though Khan did not take the name of Mamata Banerjee, he was apparently referring to the chief minister's recent warning to her party leaders that those involved in taking 'cut money' for government schemes and other corrupt practices would be put behind bars.