Chennai, July 4 (BPNS)
Public health emergency is declared in Karaikkal area of Tamil Nadu and CrPC 14 invoked following a diarrhoea outbreak in the city. District administration in a statement said that schools will remain closed from Monday till Wednesday to clean up the water tanks in the surrounding areas.
The situation, according to the district health department is worrying as cholera is also reported along with diarrhoea in many patients who are admitted to hospitals.
Karaikkal district collector Mohammad Mansoon in a statement on Monday said, “ We have taken the samples of several cases and have found the presence of Vibrio Cholera. Given the rising number of cases consequent health emergency declared, we have invoked Sec 144(2) of CrPC “
The district collector also said that all restaurants, hotels and eateries have been directed to provide boiled RO-treated drinking water. He also said that the eateries and restaurants are directed to clean and chlorinate all the water tanks.
The hotels and eateries have been directed to ensure that the customers are washing their hands properly before dining and to provide hand washing soaps near the washbasins. The administration said that the amount of chlorination required is around 0.5 mg per litre of water.
The district collector has directed the revenue inspectors, food inspectors and health inspectors to conduct surprise checks and visits at the eateries, restaurants and hotels as well as wedding halls and clubs to ensure that health hygiene is properly maintained.
Bore well operators have been directed to provide chlorinated drinking water and the construction companies and road contractors have been directed to provide only boiled drinking water to the workers.
It is to be noted that according to Karaikkal district administration around 1600 people had diarrhoea and stomach pain-related ailments and were admitted to hospitals over the past few days. The administration said that following the large number of cases being detected, it decided to shut schools and invoke CrPc 144 to ensure that health emergency is maintained properly in the district to prevent further spread.
