The District Medical officer V.Jayashree has said there is no need to panic since the infection was under control, with no fresh instances of cholera being reported.
In a press release on Monday, she said she had visited the area where seven migrant labourers were diagnosed with the disease and had been staying, along with the district surveillance team.
“They are responding to treatment at the Government Medical College, and no fresh cases have been reported. Officials have been asked to continue the ongoing preventive measures and keep diarrhoea cases under observation,” she added.
The official said the Center for Water Resources Development and Management had found vibrio cholerea bacteria present in a well in the area The local residents have been told not to use the water from the well for the time being.
Meanwhile, local residents have staged a protest asking the authorities to vacate the labourers after cholera cases were confirmed. It was decided that all staying illegally would be asked to leave.
As per a report by NDTV, the Mavoor grama panchayat extended the ultimatum to the illegal stayers to leave the place in 15 days on Tuesday. Panchayat president C. Muneerath said “The site inspection is going on. Premises are being checked and those quarters flouting the rules are sealed on the spot.” She admitted that the panchayat had no statistics on the migrant population. “It is a difficult task,” she said. “A migrant labourer often returns from his native place bringing four or five new persons.”
Besides the health aspect, there is a blatant violation of several panchayat laws including the Lodging Houses Occupant Maintenance Act of 1940.
A source informed “The owner of the building doesn’t have any identity card of the migrant laborer. Criminal elements can easily make hideouts in such illegal camps.” Health officials who visited the spot also admit that the situation was slipping out of hands.
A health official said: “It should be a joint effort by the health, labour and police departments and the panchayat. The local agents are fleecing these migrants and making quick money.”