: Health minister C. Vijaya Baskar on Monday described as “completely incorrect” the reports that bird flu caused deaths of humans in Vellore district.
“There are no such incidents in Tamil Nadu. Whenever there was an outbreak of bird flu, the Health Department worked closely with the Animal Husbandry Department to ensure that the people of Tamil Nadu were not affected. We have completely prevented bird flu,” he said, responding to the concern raised by the DMK members, particularly by deputy leader of the party Durai Murugan .
Earlier, when the issue was raised, Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam had said that a detailed report would be submitted in the House.
After sometime, Mr. Vijaya Baskar presented a detailed report, saying that two women – Nagammal and Vijayammal – who were part of a 23-member team from Gudiyatham that had gone on an excursion to Kerala, actually died of swine flu. “The other members were also subjected to laboratory tests and two of them have symptoms of swine flu. They are being treated with tamiflu tablets and their houses have been disinfected,” he said.
Contradicting claims
Earlier, when DMK members objected to the Speaker’s action of expunging remarks made by Mr. Durai Murugan, a member elected from Vellore district, Commercial Taxes Minister K.C. Veeramani (also elected from Jolarpet in the same district) intervened and said the outbreak was among a group of people from Gudiyatham, who had recently visited Kerala.
However, the explanation didn’t settle the issue, since Mr. Durai Murugan questioned the contradictions in the statements made by the Health Minister and the Commercial Taxes Minister. “A Minister says people were affected and another Minister says it was only because of their visit to Kerala that they contracted the flu. Why is there a disparity? The government should explain what really happened,” he said.
At this point, the Chief Minister said that a detailed report on the issue raised by the DMK members would be tabled in the Assembly. Leader of the Opposition M.K. Stalin thumped the bench in approval. The Chair later allowed Mr. Durai Murugan to record his comments in the Assembly records, in which he alleged that 25 persons were affected and four had died.
