Rayagada: The Congress will raise the issue of cholera death in Odisha in Parliament during its monsoon session, said Koraput MP Saptagiri Ulaka on Sunday.
Leading a team of Congress leaders, Ulaka visited the cholera affected villages in Kasipur block of Rayagada district on the day. He took stock of the situation in the area and enquired about the condition of the patients undergoing treatment in different hospitals. The Congress team also distributed ration among the affected families.
Speaking to media persons after the visit, the MP said both Central and state governments were responsible for the spread of the water-borne disease in the block. Terming it as a man-made crisis, he said lack of drinking water supply to the villagers due to negligence of the government was primarily responsible for it.
He further said though crores of rupees were being sanctioned for development of the block, the fund was not reaching the beneficiaries due to rampant corruption in government machinery and ruling party leaders. Since the Rural Water Supply department was responsible for the crisis, a special task force should be formed to investigate into the matter to reveal the truth, he said and demanded Rs 10 lakh as compensation for the families of each victim of cholera.
Meanwhile, a notification of district administration stated that 52 people are undergoing treatment for cholera in different hospitals of Kasipur block. They include 11 in Kasipur community health centre (CHC), 9 in Tikiri CHC, 18 in Utkal Alumina hospital at Ushapada, and 14 in Utkal Hospital at Tikiri. Besides, the mobile health team treated 30 patients in inaccessible areas of the block.
