BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday said his government had taken prompt and strict action against those responsible for the Sagar spurious liquor tragedy that has claimed 16 lives, as well as the Chhindwara cough syrup deaths.
Speaking to reporters at the state BJP headquarters here, Yadav said the statewide drive against drug abuse and illegal liquor traders would continue, with the government maintaining zero tolerance towards negligence.
Asked about the recent incidents, including the Chhindwara cough syrup case in which 25 people died, and the Sagar hooch tragedy, the chief minister said the government had acted firmly in both cases.
“We have dealt with such challenges before and will continue to do so in the future,” he said, adding that the administration had been directed to take strict action and that negligence at any level would not be tolerated.
The Sagar tragedy has claimed 16 lives, while 32 people are undergoing treatment at different hospitals. Of the 30 people named as accused in the case, 17 have been arrested.
Yadav’s remarks came hours after police arrested one of the main accused in the Sagar case following an encounter in the district. Ravi Lakhera, 45, was injured in the leg during the exchange of fire in Baraytha forest and was subsequently taken to a hospital in Banda, Uttar Pradesh, for treatment.
The chief minister also spoke about the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’, a month-long campaign to be held in Madhya Pradesh from September 17 to October 17 to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday and his 25 years in public life.
On healthcare infrastructure, Yadav said the region stretching from Rewa-Satna to Betul and Chhindwara had remained relatively backward and required more hospitals.
He said the government was working to establish different types of hospitals, including Ayurvedic centres, so that people would not have to travel to Jabalpur or Nagpur in neighbouring Maharashtra for treatment.
“This will provide people with proper treatment and also generate local employment. In the future, we will undertake further development work. Preparations are underway to make Jabalpur a metropolitan city, and work is underway to improve connectivity to surrounding areas,” he said.
Yadav said India was continuing to move forward despite attempts to disrupt global trade and was keeping its national interests paramount.
“Under the prime minister’s leadership, India’s global influence has steadily increased. When PM Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat, the US denied him a visa. Today, that same India is making its strong presence felt on the global stage,” he said.
He said India’s expanding relations with countries including the US and China reflected its growing influence globally.
The chief minister also highlighted projects such as Ken-Betwa and Kalisindh-Chambal under the River Linking Campaign initiated by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
He said Madhya Pradesh and India had witnessed significant growth in the energy sector, particularly green energy, through initiatives such as the Prime Minister’s Suryaghar Free Electricity Scheme.
“Every year, we will create approximately 1 lakh new jobs. There will be promotions for approximately 2.5 lakh positions, of which approximately 1 lakh have already been promoted,” Yadav said.
He also claimed that Madhya Pradesh had emerged as the country’s leading state in attracting investment from across the world.