Cholera Under Control And No Need To Panic: DMO

With no fresh instances of cholera being reported, District Medical Officer V.Jayashree has said that the infection was under control and told people not to panic. In a press release on Monday, she said she had visited the area where seven migrant laborers were diagnosed with the disease and had been staying, along with the district surveillance team. "They are responding to treatment at the Government Medical College, and no fresh cases have been reported. Officials have been asked to continue the ongoing preventive measures and keep diarrhea cases under observation," she added.

Additional district medical officer Dr Ashadevi said "All of the suspicious cases were observed double the quarantine period. The discharge was after plugging loopholes of the possibility of them spreading the bacteria."

The official said the Center for Water Resources Development and Management had found vibrio cholerea bacteria present in a well in the area The local residents have been told not to use the water from the well for the time being.

Meanwhile, local residents have staged a protest asking the authorities to vacate the laborers after cholera cases were confirmed. It was decided that all staying illegally would be asked to leave. 

The Mavoor grama panchayat extended the ultimatum to the illegal stayers to leave the place in 15 days on Tuesday. Panchayat president C. Muneerath said "The site inspection is going on. Premises are being checked and those quarters flouting the rules are sealed on the spot." She admitted that the panchayat had no statistics on the migrant population. "It is a difficult task," she said. "A migrant labourer often returns from his native place bringing four or five new persons."

Besides the health aspect, there is a blatant violation of several panchayat laws including the Lodging Houses Occupant Maintenance Act of 1940.

A source informed "The owner of the building doesn't have any identity card of the migrant laborer. Criminal elements can easily make hideouts in such illegal camps." Health officials who visited the spot also admit that the situation was slipping out of hands.

"It should be a joint effort by the health, labor and police departments and the panchayat. The local agents are fleecing these migrants and making quick money," said a health official.

The people associated with sand smuggling are also allegedly agents recruiting migrants.

 

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