BHUBANESWAR: Rejecting the Congress demand to declare dengue as an epidemic in the State, the State Government on Saturday claimed in the Assembly that the deadly vector-borne disease had been detected in 465 districts spread over 20 states in the country. The issue cropped up during a discussion on the admissibility of an Adjournment Motion notice with the Congress members criticising the Government for its failure to control the disease which has now spread to 22 districts. Making a statement, Minister for Health and Family Welfare Prasanna Acharya said in no state, dengue has been declared as epidemic. Though 17 persons have so far died in Orissa, the situation does not warrant declaration of epidemic, he said. Refuting the charges of the Congress members that intervention of the High Court has spurred it into action, the Minister said steps had been taken to control the spread of the disease prior to the court directive. While 2,565 persons in Gujarat were affected by the disease in 2010, 2,285 people suffered from it in Karnataka. The highest 6,259 dengue cases were detected in Delhi in that year, he said. Stating that 402 people have so far tested positive of dengue virus in Orissa, he said most of the incidents were reported from industrial and coal areas in Angul district. The authorities of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) have been asked to ensure removal of abandoned motor tyres and empty bottles and fill up puddles, considered as the breeding source of dengue virus, he said. Of the 17 dengue deaths so far reported, 13 came from Angul district, the Minister said appealing to the Opposition parties not to create panic over the situation. “The Government considers that declaration of dengue as an epidemic will panic the public and do more harm than good,” the Minister reiterated. Earlier, participating in the debate, Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh and Opposition Chief Whip Prasad Harichandan asked the Government to declare dengue as an epidemic to assist the affected people who hail from poor families. “The State Government has failed in checking the dengue menace. People face difficulties to get their blood samples tested due to lack of adequate facilities,” Harichandan said, while Singh demanded free transportation and medicines to patients. Naba Kishore Das (Cong) alleged that the Government took action only after the High Court directive. He said by declaring dengue as an epidemic, poor patients can benefit as treatment will be free. Santosh Singh Saluja and Braja Kishore Pradhan (both Cong) criticised the State Government for trying to ‘dismiss’ the situation lightly.
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