Assam Government has decided to undertake adult vaccination against Japanese Encephalitis in the most endemic Sibsagar district on an experimental basis. The vaccination will start on October 15 and continue for 10 days. The programme is expected to cover around five lakh adult population in the tea garden-dominated district. The State Health Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sharma told newsmen in Guwahati on Tuesday that it was for the first time in the country that an adult vaccination programme was being undertaken. He said the programme would be extended to other Japanese Encephalitis-prone districts of the State depending on its success in Sibsagar. The state Health Department will incur all expenses of vaccination and over 72 crore rupees will be spent for operational costs alone. AIR Correspondent reports that the state had recorded over 150 Japanese Encephalitis deaths during last four months. Of these 57 died in highly vulnerable Sibsagar district alone in Upper Assam.