Date:18/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/18/stories/2008061862560400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Thigalarapalya deaths not due to gastroenteritis: officials

Staff Reporter

Another woman complains of vomiting sensation and pain in the abdomen

— Photo: K. Gopinathan

ENSURING HYGIENE: Corporation workers removing filth at Thigalarapalya slum in Bangalore on Tuesday.

Bangalore: Even as the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials denied that there was any outbreak of gastroenteritis in Thigalarapalya slum of Peenya Dasarahalli, another woman from the family of Puttaiah, who died on Monday, complained of vomiting sensation and pain in the abdomen.

Puttaiah’s family members, who did not want to take any chance, took the woman to a private hospital where she was reportedly treated for pain in the abdomen.

While the residents attributed Monday’s deaths to gastroenteritis following consumption of contaminated water, BBMP Chief Health Officer L.T. Gayatri Devi and the jurisdictional health officer Vijaykumar Biradar denied it was an outbreak.

“Though some stray cases have been reported, we cannot call it an outbreak because none of the people complained of both vomiting and diarrhoea.

“If some person had vomiting sensation, another had loose motions. This could be because of unhygienic conditions in the slum,” Mr. Biradar told The Hindu. He said intensive cleaning activities were being taken up in the area. “As the area is a new locality under the BBMP and the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is yet to provide piped water supply, people depend only on borewell water. Consumption of borewell water could be the reason for these problems,” he said.

The official said schoolchildren and welfare organisations were being involved to create awareness among the people to maintain cleanliness. People are being advised to drink boiled and cooled water. “We have stocked the required medicines in our health centre. We have also set up a mobile clinic in the area to deal with emergencies,” he said.

Appealing to the people not to panic, Dr. Gayatri Devi said the woman, who was found dead near her house in the same area on Monday, died of old age and related health problems.