The Centre is concerned over the recent spurt in polio cases with as many as 34 cases reported mainly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar till May this year and feels the two states should take the blame for "failure" to tackle the disease.
While UP accounted for 21 cases, 12 cases were reported from Bihar and a solitary case from Madhya Pradesh, sources in the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday.
Observing that the outbreak of the disease was a result of "total failure" on the part of the two governments in running the polio eradication programme, the sources said that despite the two states being approched "there seems nothing is happening".
The sources said that the Ministry was very much concerned over the number of unprotected children even after the Prime Minister has written to the Chief Ministers to take effective measures.
Of the 21 cases reported from UP, Moradabad district alone accounted for 11 followed by two each in Badaun, Bareilly and Farukkabad and one each in Bulandsahar, Ferozabad, JP Nagar and Pilibhit.
In Bihar, 12 cases were reported and Patna accounted for three followed by two each in Muzaffarpur, East Champarn and Darbhanga and one each in West Champaran, Purnia and Sheohar.
{{/usCountry}}In Bihar, 12 cases were reported and Patna accounted for three followed by two each in Muzaffarpur, East Champarn and Darbhanga and one each in West Champaran, Purnia and Sheohar.
{{/usCountry}}The solitary case in Madhya Pradesh has been reported from Chatterpur.
UP saw a spurt in polio cases in 2002 when 1,242 cases were reported.
But in the following years, the state witnessed a decline with only 29 cases reported last year.
However, this year saw a sudden rise of 21 cases in the first five months which causes concern, the sources said.
A total of 12 cases have been reported from Bihar so far this year as against a total of 30 cases in the whole of last year.
Though Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has "definitely" taken up the programme, it was "neglected" in the state, the sources said adding the system has to gear itself to tackle the problem.
"We feel like stopping this programme because of the indifferent attitude of the two states," the sources said adding that unless the state governments took the onus of the programme, it cannot succeed.