KHAMMAM: The district administration has taken up a fortnight-long drive to step up health services in flood-hit areas of Khammam, according to Collector Sashibusan Kumar.

Addressing a news conference here along with Joint Collector Arokia Raj, he told newsmen on Tuesday that though the flood situation improved considerably, water stagnation in affected areas would lead to mosquito menace and make people vulnerable to seasonal diseases. Anti-larval measures were taken up in the entire sub plan area. Fogging operations were under way at the village-level. Attention was on sanitation. Adequate quantity of bleaching powder was supplied to gram panchayats.

Critical areas

The Collector said that some 60 medical teams were deployed in flood-hit areas. Each team was entrusted with two to three villages. Eight critical areas were identified. Ambulances were kept standby for shifting patients to the area hospital at Bhadrachalam if needed. Personnel of the rank of Additional District Medical and Health Officers were entrusted with the task of ensuring timely supply of medicines to primary health centres.

He said 10 persons died in the floods and payment of ex gratia was already made to the next of kin of five victims. In the case of others, certain procedures had to be followed to make the payment as the bodies were not traced so far. Payments from the Prime Minister's relief fund would be made directly to the bank accounts of the kin of those killed in the floods. The bank accounts were being opened to facilitate this.

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