CUTTACK: Acting on a PIL, the Orissa High Court on Monday directed the chief district medical officer (CDMO) of Jajpur to probe the reports of increased number of people suffering from kidney related ailments at Golagaon under Danagadi tehsil within the Kalinga Nagar Industrial Zone.
Mantu Das (34), a resident of nearby Jhalpada area, filed the petition alleging that people in the village were dependant on tubewells even as there had been serious depredation and pollution of groundwater. Appearing on the petitioner’s behalf advocate Arfraaz Suhail sought the court’s direction for providing basic civic amenities like safe drinking water and proper sanitation at the village where people were dying of kidney-related ailments.
The division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice M S Raman said, “The chief district medical officer (CDMO) is directed to undertake an inquiry into the complaint of 200 to 300 people suffering from kidney-related ailments in Golagaon on account of drinking polluted water.”
‘The CDMO can constitute a team to visit the village and meet the residents stated to be suffering and ensure that they are provided immediate and adequate treatment. A camp be set up in the village for this purpose within the next ten days,” the bench also said.
If any further assistance is required then the district collector in consultation with commissioner-cum-secretary Health & Family Welfare can facilitate the necessary arrangements for this purpose, the bench further said.
“A comprehensive report be filed before the court by the next date,” the bench added, while posting the matter to April 26. The petition also sought the court’s direction to the state government to provide clean drinking water facilities by installing tanker facilities and regular health camps at the village.