Sri Lankan deputy minister ties public official to a tree for failing to support dengue control programme

A controversial deputy minister of the government of Sri Lanka today tied a public official in his electorate to a tree due to the official's failure to support the government's dengue prevention programme.



Deputy Highways Minister Mervyn Silva tied a Samurdhi officer on to a tree in Kelaniya for not supporting the programme to control dengue in the Kelaniya electorate.
The media also covered the event when the deputy minister tied the officer to a mango tree.Silva recently told a local media in an interview that he would tie any officer responsible for the spread of dengue, if a dengue related death is reported from his electorate Kelaniya.
The deputy minister carried out his promise by tying the officer claimed to have been irresponsible and not participated in the dengue control programme, at the Kelaniya Divisional Secretary's office today afternoon.
A dengue related death was also reported in the Biyagama area.
The respective Samurdhi officer who was tied to the tree had failed to attend a meeting of the Presidential Task Force on dengue control.