Encephalitis toll at 136 : Minister Prem Kumar orders probe into litchi-link
Patna : In view of the rising encephalitis deaths in Bihar, state Health Minister Prem Kumar on Friday ordered a probe to investigate if consumption of the litchi fruit is leading to the deaths.
The Minister said a team of agriculture scientists and horticulture officials will visit the affected areas.
He said that it was widely believed that litchis could be one of the reasons behind the Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) outbreak in Muzaffarpur district where 136 children have died in the last 20 days.
An AES outbreak is normally reported during the litchi harvest season in summer, although till date, it has not been officially verified that the virus is caused by the fruit.
Muzaffarpur is known as the litchi hub of the country.
RJD spokesperson Manoj K Jha served lacerating comments on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over what he claimed was the PM's silence on the deaths of 136 children due to "brain fever" in 16 districts of Bihar. At least 600 children are under treatment from the deadly encephalitis.
"We get goosebumps by the deaths of the children. I understand they did not die due to encephalitis, but due to apathy, by the government's mismanagement, conspicuous absence of care," Jha, Rajya Sabha member from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), said.
"Prime Minister ji asked about the thumb injury of cricketer Shikhar Dhawan. It's a good thing to ask, we are also happy. But for those kids who died to the disease at an age when they are still sucking their thumbs, the Prime Minister should have at least sent a message to the affected families.
It would also have sent a message to the state government of the party that's part of the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) that the PM has taken a strong stand over the issue," Kumar said.
The RJD leader, who also teaches at Delhi University, was referring to PM Modi's tweet to Shikhar Dhawan after he was pulled out of the cricket world cup due to a thumb injury that will take time to heal.