Over 25,000 people living in Gurla and surrounding villages of Vizianagaram district are still under the grip of fear in spite of a series of measures undertaken by the State government and the district administration to control the outbreak of diarrhoea which hospitalised nearly 140 persons in the last three days.
The death of seven persons in the last few days caused panic among the villagers who are worried about their safety due to the contamination of water.
The district administration has claimed that a few people died of reasons other than diarrhoea, but a majority of the people in Gurla have left their homes to stay with relatives in Garividi, Cheepurupalli, Nellimarla, Vizianagaram and other places in spite of the improvement in sanitation in the mandal headquarters and nearby areas.
Vizianagaram Collector B.R. Ambedkar and other officials tried to instill confidence among the people with the supply of purified water through tankers and cans.
Vizianagaram district rural water supply department’s Uma Shankar told The Hindu that the water samples of the filtration center located near SSR Peta in Gurla mandal were sent to a laboratory for analyis. “The filtration center, which draws water from Champavati River caters to the water needs of nearly 26 habitations. We will take necessary steps as soon as reports come from the laboratory,” Mr. Uma Shankar said.
According to him, the water samples of 11 private borewells have also also been sent to the laboratory. It was initially confirmed that water was contaminated in five borewells. However, local residents say they have been using water from these borewells for many years and this usage could not be the reason for the spread of diarrhoea.
