Gorakhpur, April 22 -- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said eastern parts of the state were once severely affected by encephalitis, attributing the spread of the disease to poor sanitation and lack of clean drinking water, but things changed due to the state government's policies.

"Every single village in eastern Uttar Pradesh was gripped by encephalitis. Due to this, deaths occurred, children died; when we investigated, we found that open defecation and lack of clean drinking water were the causes. Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, toilets were constructed in every household. Houses were provided under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, with efforts made to ensure that most houses were in the name of women", he sai...