THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, 15 July 2007 — The Congress-led opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) has called for a statewide shutdown on Tuesday protesting the Left Front government’s failure to contain the fever epidemic. According to the official data, some 175 people have died from the complications of vector-borne diseases since the onset of monsoon this year.
“The government is not sincere in its efforts to contain the disease that gripped many areas of central Kerala. Now we are forced to call a strike,” UDF convener P.P. Thankachan said announcing the daylong shutdown.
The UDF also came down heavily on India’s Health Minister Anbumani Ramdoss for taking the fever situation of the state lightly. “He is adding to the confusion. It’s sad he’s talking without studying the situation,” the convener said.
The minister had maintained throughout that chikungunya, which spread like a wildfire in the state, is not fatal and no death took place from the disease in the state.
The other day the opposition had stalled the proceedings of the assembly. The state health minister had admitted in the house that 173 deaths were reported, mainly from Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts.
The unofficial toll is almost double than this. Reports said 14 people died on Friday alone after being admitted to hospitals with high fever.
More than half a million persons are down with various forms of viral fever and in many cases people who have been fully cured have returned to the hospital with fresh bout of fever. Recently, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan had thanked the monsoon for lowering the tempo of fever but after a brief lull it has returned to haunt the poor masses.
There is still confusion over what kind of fever is affecting the masses, especially the aged and children who have weak immune system. What is more disturbing is that fresh cases have been reported from the unaffected areas. In the last one week nearly 5,000 people sought treatment in northern Kozhikode district.
Aircraft Skid: Cochin Airport Passes the Buck to AAI
The Cochin Airport authorities have blamed the Airport Authority of India (AAI) for poor air traffic management that resulted in two aircraft skidding off the runway early this month.
“The AAI has to install the Approach Surveillance Radar (ASR) at the airport and the same is being continuously pursued by the CIAL. The early installation of ASR would definitely improve the quality of the air traffic management,” Cochin International Airport Limited Managing Director S. Bharat said.
