PANAJI: A petition has been filed before the High Court of Bombay at Goa seeking directions to the state government to make known preventive and remedial steps taken by the government as well as proposed to be taken in near future for eradication and control of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD).
The petition, which is filed by Rohan Joshi from Bicholim, states that “the epidemic of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), also known as ‘Monkey Fever’, was detected in some patients. Except for vaccination of the infected people, the state government has not been making sufficient efforts for control of the epidemic. It is estimated that there are around 50,000 monkeys in Sattari alone.”
The petition also states that no efforts are made by the state government for curling of monkey population and no provision is made for payment of compensation to the next of the kin of victims as well as the hospitalised patients.
The petition prays for direction to state government and others to grant arm licences to the citizens to protect themselves in case of attack by the infected monkeys.
The petition also prays for issue of appropriate directions to the state government for payment of compensation to the victims and / or the next of kin of the deceased in case of death as well as injuries.
