1000 deaths later, Mulayam opens coffers

The Chief Minister also said Rs 11 crore will be provided to upgrade the BRD Medical College hospital — from where the maximum number of deaths in the disease have been reported so far.

The state government will procure JE vaccines from China and Korea as soon

as the Centre gives permission to import it, said the Chief Minister.

Addressing the public representatives of Poorvanchal in the Circuit House, Yadav said the state government will purchase stocks of one crore JE vaccines and immunization will start as soon as the consignment arrives.

The CM, who reviewed the developmental works in the region — including Basti and Azamgarh — was greeted with a strike and a chakka jam. The Congress staged a separate dharna and the CPI(ML) members observed a fast in protest against the CM’s visit. Two dozen

protesting Congress workers were arrested.

A large posse of policemen was deployed for security cover of the CM as people started gathering at the protest venues from early morning.

The leaders of various protesting organisations alleged that the CM’s insensitivity was the biggest single reason behind the mounting death toll in Poorvanchal.

The protesters said while the official death toll reached 1,000 today, the area was still waiting for proper preventive and curative measures to check the spread of the disease next monsoon.

Addressing a huge gathering in Golghar area, Gorakhpur MP Yogi Aditya Nath blamed the state government for diverting all the funds meant for improving the health system in the region to Saifai — the CM’s native village in Etawah district.

He rejected the official death toll and claimed that in Purvanchal alone, over 5,000 deaths have taken place so far.