CHENNAI: An outbreak of acute diarrhoea in three colonies of Thirumullaivoyal on Sunday has triggered a panic among the residents. They are venting their anger towards the municipal authorities who, they say, have not done enough to curb the disease or help patients.
Sri Sai Specialty Hospital, a private facility near the colony, has seen 70 patients in the last two days. “It is acute diarrhoea in some cases accompanied by vomiting,’’ said a doctor there.
At least 200 people, most of them women and children, have been affected. The residents have attributed the disease to water contamination, as there are no proper drinking water facilities.
“This entire ward-8 does not have a Metrowater line. Water from the lake is pumped into a tank and from there it is made available through taps on the ground. Sometimes it is a little brackish but the people here are used to drinking it without boiling,’’ said S Sekar, a resident.
After municipal authorities were informed on Monday, the taps were sealed and a Metrowater lorry was sent to the colony the same day. However, the residents alleged that not much was being done to provide treatment.
Patients said that despite taking tablets given by the health officials for the past two days, they had not got relief.
K Nandini, a seven-month pregnant 20-yearold, harbours fear that the continuous diarrhoea will have an effect on her baby. “I have been going to the government health post, but there has been no change in my condition,’’ she lamented.
Adding to the residents’ miseries is the inadequate number of toilets. “Most people here cannot afford to build toilets of their own as the men are mostly daily wage labourers.
They have to walk all the way to the lake where they relieve themselves in public,’’ said K Kumudha, another resident.
The Avadi Municipality, under which the colony falls, had built a public toilet for the colony a few years ago, but this had fallen into disrepair for a year, residents complained.
“The women here are finding it extremely difficult to cope with as no sanitary facilities are available,’’ said P Mallika.
“We have distributed tablets and a water lorry has been arranged for. Four doctors and several healthcare workers visited yesterday and glucose drips were provided to the patients.
The outbreak is under control now,’’ councillor of Ward 8 Mullai Soundararajan said. He added that there was an urgent need for a Metrowater line to be installed. “All possible treatment has been given and we are even repairing the toilet right now. The tank has also been cleaned,’’ he added.
