Seasonal diseases, viral fevers on the rise in capital villages

Amaravati: Despite the government’s initiative to eradicate the mosquito menace by taking up a special programme, several villages in the capital region have turned into breeding centres for mosquitoes due to poor sanitary conditions and stagnated drains.

ILLNESSES ON PROWL

• Vacant lands handed over for capital construction turn into breeding grounds for mosquitoes
• When the fields were in cultivation, the farmers used to spray pesticides which even helped in preventing mosquito menace
• Migrant workers involved in capital construction complain of drinking water pollution
• NTR safe drinking water kiosk is not functioning near Thullur PHC
• More than 100 patients suffering from viral fevers, diarrhoea and other cases visiting Thullur PHC every day
• Govt medical officers claim no reports of dengue or malaria have been reported so far

Seasonal diseases like malaria, dengue and viral fevers are increasing in the villages of capital.After taking over of lands by Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) in the 29 villages under the land pooling scheme, most of these villages were neglected in development, where even the village panchayats are not taking up any development works like constructing drainages and laying of internal roads fearing that the houses in the villages will also be taken by the CRDA for the capital purpose.

According to A Babu, a farmer of Mandadam, who did not hand over his five acres of land located in Venkatapalem to the government for capital construction, the abandoned fields have turned into breeding points for mosquitoes and other creatures, which are leading to villagers getting affected with viral fevers.

“In my house almost all of my family members are suffering from viral diseases due to abandoned fields. Several people in our village are suffering from malaria, dengue and diarrhoea. When the fields were in cultivation we used to spray pesticides, which also eradicate the mosquito menace. But now, even snakes are crawling inside the houses causing panic to inmates,”

he said. Hundreds of migrated workers, who are engaged in the capital city construction, are also becoming victims to the unhygienic conditions prevailing in the villages and drinking of polluted water, where there are no enough safe drinking water kiosks.

In several villages including in front of Thullur PHC, the NTR safe drinking water kiosk is also not in a functioning state.
Mukesh Bauri, a migrated worker from Jharkhand and presently working near the Chief Minister’s residence at Undavalli said that the poor sanitary conditions and polluted drinking water in Krishnaya Palem, where he resides made him sick and get

affected with viral fever. “Some of us have also suffered from skin diseases due to taking bath in the polluted water,” he said.
Speaking to The Hans India, Dr M Ramadevi, medical officer of Primary Health Centre at Thullur, said that there is an increase in viral fever cases during the last few days due to seasonal change.

More than 100 patients are visiting the PHC everyday, which is the only medical centre for 23 villages, which falls under CRDA limits, and most of the patients, who are migrated workers, are suffering from diarrhoea and other infections, which occur due to drinking of contaminated water and living in unhygienic conditions, she said.

“Till now, no malaria or dengue positive cases were registered in our PHC and we are taking measures to eradicate mosquitoes while conducting village panchayat meetings monthly twice,” she said.

By Sudhakar Thoyyeti