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Chopper `stranded'following Cong.-U.P. Govt. stand-off

The helicopter was arranged by the Congress for aerial fogging in the Japanese Encephalitis (JE) infested areas

LUCKNOW: The helicopter arranged by the Congress for aerial fogging in the Japanese Encephalitis (JE) infested areas of Rae Bareli and Gorakhpur, continues to be the centre of controversy between the party and the Uttar Pradesh Government.

State health department officials claimed that since U.P. had not carried out aerial fogging before, it would be difficult to assess the effects it could have on the crop, livestock and humans.

Congress, on the other hand, maintained that aerial fogging was most effective way to check culex tritaeniorhynchus mosquito which carries the deadly JE virus.

The health department further said it had carried out fogging and sprinkling of sensitive areas with machines provided by the DG central Health Services.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi had announced to provide a chopper for aerial fogging during his visit to Gorakhpur on Wednesday.

Rahul had visited the Baba Raghav Das Medical College to assess the situation and assured all possible help from the party and the Centre.

The helicopter, equipped with fogging and sprinkling machine was to carry out aerial fogging of Rae Bareli district and the Gorakhpur and Basti divisions of East U.P..

``The helicopter is stranded at Rae Bareli since Thursday as U.P. Government and Gorakhpur district authorities had not yet permitted the aerial fogging,'' said Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesman Akhilesh Pratap Singh here. He also claimed that State Congress president Salman Khurshid had apprised the Union Health Ministry of the matter.

Mr. Singh said the Union Health Ministry officials had approached the U.P. Government to give permission for the aerial fogging, but till now the State was delaying the matter.

The Congress leader lamented that although hundreds had died, the State Chief Minister was ``playing politics'' over the issue.

UNI

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