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| Orissa battles water woes |
| Most of the 57 cholera deaths in the backward block of Koraput district have occurred in the last two weeks
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| INDIA
, 31-August-2007
3:13:50 AM |
| The cholera outbreak in Orissa districts of Kashipur and Koraput has claimed over 150 lives.
Even while the government claimed the situation is under control, clean drinking water is yet to be made available to the people in the affected areas.
Most of the 57 cholera deaths in the backward block of Koraput district have occurred in the last two weeks.
The hospital in the area is packed with cholera patients but there are many others in the remote pockets of the tribal-dominated district who haven't been reached yet.
''We are trying to reach and see that all tube wells are made functional and all water sources will be disinfected. We have got 16 medical units each with a doctor. We have bleaching powder, ORS, halogen tablets, everything with us but the government officials may not be able to reach all the places,'' said B K Sahu, Collector.
Each year many people die in Dasmantpur of anthrax and gastro disorders. Yet even after two weeks safe drinking water has not been made available.
''Most of the tube wells are not functioning properly. The public health department is not supplying any water. And if the rains start again, it will spread in no time,'' said Ajit Sahu, Social Worker,
Dasmantpur.
The Orissa government says the situation is under control in Kashipur and Dasmantpur and that the disease is not spreading.
''Had it not been under control what would have happened is if two deaths are taking place today, tomorrow four deaths would have taken place and 10 deaths would have taken place the day after. It has not happened like that,'' said Chinmay Basu, Principal Secretary, Health, Orissa.
The government effort may have come a little too late considering over 150 lives have been lost across four districts.
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