Dengue epidemic should be declared as 'Health disaster" in TN : DMK

Chennai, Oct 20: The Opposition DMK in Tamil Nadu today demanded that the outbreak of dengue epidemic in the state, which has claimed nearly 40 lives, should be declared as a 'Health disaster'. A resolution to this effect was adopted at the district secretaries meeting of the party chaired by DMK Working President M K Stalin and presided over by General Secretary K Anbazhagan. Claiming that hundreds of people have died in the state due to the dengue epidemic, the resolution expressed its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members and condemned the AIADMK government for failing to control its spreading. Pointing that the state government in its report to the Centre had stated that 40,940 people affected by Dengue and that 126 people have died due to it from 2012 to October nine this year, the resolution said a situation has arose that might lead to declaration of a medical emergency in the state. Condemning the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre for supporting the 'corrupt' Tamil Nadu government, which had fell short of a majority, the resolution urged the Centre to declare a 'medical emergency' in the state, provide the Rs 256 crore fund sought by the state to combat dengue and take steps on war footing considering it as a 'health disaster'. Another resolution accused the State government of 'surrendering' before the centre and condemned it for conceding the state's rights on various fronts, like NEET, saffronisation of education, cauvery, GST, inter-state river water, national food security and other issues. It also accused the government of having lost the moral responsibility to rule the state and said it should not continue in power even for a minute. Another resolution urged the state government to immediately hold the local bodies elections without any further delay. UNI