HASSAN: Rise in the number of cases of chikungunya, the viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes, has created anxiety among people in Arsikere taluk. Elected representatives and leaders of various political parties have urged the district administration to take steps to contain the disease, which was spreading, especially in villages where people were deprived of medical facility.

With no other way to save them from the disease, the people in various villages in Arsikere taluk have started appeasing their village deities to contain the disease.

The former Minister and Gandsi MLA B. Shivaram and Arsikere

MLA A.S. Basavaraj took the authorities to task for their alleged failure in extending medical facilities at the taluk panchayat meeting held in Arsikere on Saturday. They have expressed their disappointment over the failure of the authorities concerned in containing the disease.

Spreading fast

Mr. Basavaraj said the disease was spreading fast in Arsikere taluk and the authorities were not taking steps to control the disease. The two elected representatives sought a clarification from the taluk health officer Raveendra on the steps taken by the department to help the people.

Mr. Shivaram accused the department officials of not providing medical support to the people. Those affected by the disease were visiting Arsikere for the treatment, he said.

Zilla panchayat member Rajashekar alleged that the authorities were not giving correct picture of cases in the taluk. At least two persons were suffering from disease in every family in each village across the taluk and doctors had not visited the villages, despite instructions from higher authorities, he alleged.

Pressure

Mr. Shivaram said pressure would be brought on the Government to supply medicine. Doctors should attend the patients promptly, he added.

Samajawadi Party district unit president Bilichoudaya told presspersons recently in Hassan that over 90 per cent of the people at Basavarajapura in Arsikere taluk were suffering from the disease and the failure of the Health Department in extending them medical facility was forcing them to go to private hospitals.

Losing their faith in modern-day medicine, the villagers are now resorting to superstitious ways to contain the disease. People in Doddametikurke and Gollarahalli have conducted rituals such as "Ajji Habba", "Keelammana Habba" and "Holige Habba" to appease the village deities.

District Health Officer Nagaraja Rao told The Hindu that the situation was not alarming and people need not be anxious. He admitted that more cases had been reported from Garudanagiri and Javagal and of the 560 cases reported in the district, 390 were from Arsikere taluk.

Many cases were reported from Channarayapatna taluk. Although the department had sent 139 blood samples to Bangalore for confirmation, they were yet to get the reports. Treating all the cases as Chikungunya, the department started administering medicine prescribed for the disease. He said he had visited the affected villages in Arsikere taluk. Failure of gram panchayats to maintain hygiene was the reason for spreading the disease. The department had supplied medicine needed for treatment, he added.

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