AGARTALA, June 16 (TIWN): Tripura High Court on Monday in it its interim order had asked the Tripura Left front Government to place report of its intervention on the death of 96 people due to malaria epidemic here in the state. The court hearing the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) had asked the State Secretary for health and family welfare M Nagaraju to submit the affidavit report by June 29, 2015.Talking to TIWN on Monday in this regard lawyer Mongal Debbarma said, “The court on Monday expressing displeasure over the death of at least 96 due to malaria epidemic here at the state as stated by the state government had asked the state health and family welfare department to table a report to HC on its intervention on malaria death by June 29.”Adding to that Debbarma said, “A National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme team arriving here in the state’s malaria affected areas has found that there is a lack of sufficient health workers comprising of Asha workers, MPWs and others.”The team has also found that there are lack of equipments, medicines and others which was supposed to contain the malaria and its deaths. Besides, the DDT has not been sprayed in time, Debbarma told to TIWN.Briefing the interim order of the High Court Debbarma further added, “The department on its statement had also mentioned that the departmental action has been taken against a section of health workers due to their duty negligence, following which the HC on Monday hearing the PIL had asked the secretary of H&FW department to submit a report before the court mention its action so far and the cause of the death of 96 villagers.”

The lawyer also said, “Earlier there was also an allegation against the state health department for misappropriating central fund which comes here for medical purposes especially which arrived here after the malaria outbreak.”

When asked the state government had also mentioned in its statement that due to the lack of reservation the department could not conduct any recruitment so far at the remote and malaria affected areas. However, following the statement the HC on Monday had also asked the state health department to submit affidavit mentioning how many posts remained vacant till now.

However, later Debbarma talking to TIWN said that the HC on Monday had asked Nagaraju to table the affidavit before the court by June 15, 2015  mentioning the cause of the death of malaria, state government’s intervention and its  action taken report.