TIRUCHY: Residents of Ward 17 in the city, several of whom earn their livelihood as corporation sanitation workers and casual labourers at Gandhi Market, complain of a spurt in fever cases in the locality over the past one week.
While they blame the clogged sewer drains -- which are said to have come up in front of their houses only three months ago, some allege contamination of the potable water supply for the situation. Mandothari S, a resident, said, "My seven-year-old daughter has been vomiting continually. Due to the [open] sewer drains, residents come under the attack of mosquitoes during night-time."
Another resident, Thenmozhi K, mentioned four in her house suffering from fever.
“Almost everyone in our locality has fever,” she added.
Blaming uncleared waste for the rise in fever cases, resident Rangeshwari S said, “My two children are down with fever. When our locality is unsafe for children where to can we shift?''
Locals say nearby areas like Sathyamurthy Nagar, Karuvattupettai, Vethathri Nagar, Nagachandra Nagar, Thoppu Street, Poo Kollai and Kamaraj Nagar also are recording fever cases. Nagappa Palanivel K, a local CPM member, said,
"We need fever camps immediately and the officials concerned should identify the cause for the rise in fever cases in the locality and take action. The sewage drains are not connected properly due to which sewage is stagnant in several places."
When enquired, ward councillor Prabhakaran N said everything from detection of fever cases to clearing sewer drains is being carried out efficiently. The fever cases could have been due to contamination of potable water supply from ongoing underground drainage work, he said, stressing that the water quality was being inspected regularly.
When contacted City Health Officer T Manivannan told TNIE, "We will immediately arrange for fever camps in areas in need and supply kashayam (herbal concoction) as per residents’ request."