Kashipur, Orissa: Cholera has preyed more than hundred people in Orissa’s Koraput and Rayagada districts. More than 6000 people have got treatment thus far.

The worst affected regions include Dasmantpur in Koraput and Kashipur in Rayagada. The terrible news is that it is spreading out fast to bordering arenas such as Kalahandi and Gajapati districts. A three-member team is back in Delhi after visiting Kashipur, which submits its report to the Union Health Secretary.

Ramodass, Health Minister stated that the Orissa administration is not taking necessary steps to control the spread of the disease. In spite of a delayed attempt to contain the disease fresh cases continue to be reported from new regions.

Each year between July and September Kashipur reports diarrhoea and grave gastro troubles, which claim about 50 lives. But rather than taking safety measures, government functionaries put the blame on tribals.

B Nayak, ADMO, Kashipur said, “The habit of the tribal people is irresponsible. They drink water from the nullahs and rivers and do not use tubewell water.”

But in Taljhiri, a village where the team caught out that it was coercion and not a poor sense of hygiene that made people drink hazardous water. There are overall
Five tube wells, out of which four have been lying dead for the last few months.

''The tube well is defunct and we have no other option than to drink river water,'' said a resident. The only tube well that is working cannot supply to a population of about 700, he added.