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Declare cholera epidemic: Congress

Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty

ON THE OFFENSIVE: Jaydev Jena, PCC president, with former chief minister Giridhar Gamang at a press conference in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. –

Bhubaneswar: Claiming that around 500 people have died of cholera in three south-western districts of Orissa, the Congress on Thursday demanded immediate declaration of epidemic in the affected areas.

“I can produce names of at least 350 people of Dasmantpur block in Koraput district and Kashipur in Rayagada district who died of cholera within a span of 30 days,” Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee president Jaydev Jena told reporters here.

Party workers have collected information regarding death of 500 people due to cholera, he said.

The State’s main opposition party also made a scathing attack on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for refusing to declare an epidemic in Koraput and Rayagada and claiming that the situation in the affected areas was under control.

“Mr. Patnaik’s refusal to declare an epidemic has worsened the plight of the poor tribals in the backward districts,” Jena said, adding epidemic should be declared immediately to ensure prompt intervention for effectively checking spread of the killer disease.

The Congress would also draw the attention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the grim situation in Koraput and Rayagada where people were dying miserably, he said.

A party delegation comprising Jena and former Chief Minister Giridhar Gamang claimed to have visited many affected villages and spoken to people and doctors.

“The people were being injected fake saline and administered fake medicines in Koraput,” Mr. Jena alleged. -PTI

KORAPUT: Revenue Minister Manmohan Samal visited diarrohea-affected villages in Dasmanthpur block in the district on Thursday. He consoled the family members of the six persons who had died due to diarrhoea at Upper Godla village.

Acknowledging seriousness of the situation, State Chief Secretary Ajit Tripathy, who had accompanied the Minister, directed the the district administration to ensure supply of quality medicines for children to prevent the recurrence of the disease. However, the Minister said the situation was being brought under control.

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