The usually reticent Jual Oram, Union minister for tribal affairs, revealed his funny side while addressing a gathering after the Centre, the Madhya Pradesh government and Sun Pharma signed an agreement for malaria eradication. Oram said that due to the heavy use of chemicals and fertilisers, all the mosquitoes had flown away from rural to urban areas.
"Whenever the malaria inspector and other officials came to spread DDT in our village, we would chop up the murgas (chicken) and cook them for these people," he said. "After all, they are working for us. They are like doctors to us." He suggested the public-private partnership stakeholders use the weekly market in tribal areas to spread their message.
"You people have stopped the weekly market bhattis (place where tribals prepare and drink indigenous alcoholic beverages), but more and more clubs are opening up in the cities," he joked.
"Whenever the malaria inspector and other officials came to spread DDT in our village, we would chop up the murgas (chicken) and cook them for these people," he said. "After all, they are working for us. They are like doctors to us." He suggested the public-private partnership stakeholders use the weekly market in tribal areas to spread their message.
"You people have stopped the weekly market bhattis (place where tribals prepare and drink indigenous alcoholic beverages), but more and more clubs are opening up in the cities," he joked.