Karnal: Protest erupts as six die of ‘diarrhoea’
18 PEOPLE ADMITTED TO THE KALPANA CHAWLA GOVERNMENT MEDICAL COLLEGE AND HOSPITAL, DOCS YET TO FIND OUT CAUSE OF SICKNESS
KARNAL: With six migrant labourers working in Karnal grain market having died in the past five days allegedly due to diarrhoea, hundreds of labourers on Thursday staged a protest at the market committee office over “poor medical facilities”.
While Rohit Kumar,17, and Shivji Sharma, 44, died on Thursday, four others — Kamal Kumar, 5, Chotu Ram, 34, Shambu Mahto, 55, and Rivji Rai alias Manoj, 45, died between September 26 and 24.
All the deceased hailed from Samastipur district of Bihar.
Other labourers, who live in temporary shelters near the grain market, claimed that 18 people were still hospitalised. They said more deaths could occur if they are not provided proper medical facilities.
“Several others are developing diarrhoea symptoms but the authorities are not taking the issue seriously”, alleged a protesting labourer, Ram Dev.
He also alleged that they do not have proper drinking water, toilets and accommodation and are being forced to live under sub-human conditions.
However, the officials of the health department did not confirm diarrhoea outbreak and blamed the lack of personal hygiene and sanitation in the labourers’ locality for the deaths. “As of now, we cannot say that they died due to diarrhoea. We have started a special medical drive in their locality where about 50 families of migrant labourers live in temporary shelters”, Dr Gulshan Arora, chief medical officer, Karnal, told Hindustan Times
A team of 20 doctors and other health workers was monitoring the situation closely. “I made a visit along with a team of doctors to the area and found that they were living in unhygienic conditions which could be the reason behind the deaths. We have sent bodies of two deceased for postmortem and are waiting for the report to ascertain the cause of their death,” he added.
However, a doctor associated with the investigation said they detected symptoms of mild diarrhoea in over 80 people who were given treatment.
“Now, 18 people are admitted to the Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College and Hospital. Doctors are examining them to find out the cause of their illness,” he said. According to doctors, four health check-up camps were organised in the area.
They said that they also conducted a raid at a clinic of private medical practitioner and lodged a police complaint against him.
However, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh state president Jang Bahadur blamed the poor living conditions of labourers for the deaths and demanded a probe into the matter.
Karnal deputy commissioner Aditya Dahiya said directions have been issued to the health department officials and action will be taken against the arhtiyas if the labourers are found living in subhuman conditions.