Collector Anshul Mishra has ordered an enquiry against those who were involved in conducting a special ‘yagam’ at the temple inside the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) here to pray for control of dengue fever.
The ‘yagam’ was performed in the early hours of Thursday near the Vanapechi Amman Temple, reportedly sponsored by various organisations, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. “GRH is a secular institution and dengue fever is something which has to be handled medically and scientifically. I disapprove this ‘yagam’ idea and action will be taken against all those in the hospital administration who were involved in conducting it,” the Collector told The Hindu on Thursday night.
Mr. Mishra said that no rational person can accept or approve performing of ‘yagam’ to eradicate dengue virus. “Facts will come out soon. The temple has been there in the GRH campus for a long time, but performing a public ‘yagam’ is not permitted since this is a public institution,” he said. He made it clear that superstitions had no place in the GRH. He is likely to visit the hospital for conducting an on-the-spot enquiry. Meanwhile, a senior doctor in the GRH said that the ‘yagam’ went on for nearly four hours, starting from 12 midnight and most of the hospital staff were not aware of it.
