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Cholera epidemic: Bhakta Charan Das plans agitation from Sept. 17

BHUBANESWAR: Former Union Minister and convenor of Green Kalahandi Bhakta Charan Das on Thursday criticised the Naveen Patnaik Government for its failure to deal with the ongoing cholera epidemic and food

scarcity in the tribal-dominated districts of Koraput, Rayagada and Kalahandi districts.

More than 500 people have already died due to hunger and cholera in the three districts and over 1000 were fighting the disease at present, Mr. Das said at a press conference here.

Countering the official figure of 27 deaths due to cholera in Thuamul Rampur block of Kalahandi, the Congress leader alleged that at least 70 persons had died due to cholera and starvation in the block so far.

Mr. Das further alleged that the administration of Kalahandi district had failed to check cholera deaths and serious irregularities in the distribution of rice through the public distribution system.

In order to protest against the `failure’ of the administration to control the cholera epidemic, he along with the members of Green Kalahandi will stage a 72-hour-long dharna outside the office of the Kalahandi District Collector starting September 17, Mr. Das said.

Mr. Das further alleged that cholera assumed epidemic proportions as the administration did not wake up to the problem although reports had started appearing in the media about cholera and diarrhoea deaths in Thuamul Rampur since June.

Lack of food, contaminated water and poor health care facility had resulted in the death of a large number of people, Mr. Das alleged that the administration had failed to ensure proper distribution of PDS rice in Thuamul Rampur during the past nine months.

Many a poor families under the Thuamul Rampur block were surviving on leaves and roots of various trees and plants at present, Mr. Das said.

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