Talcher: Even as jaundice has been spreading its tentacles in parts of Cuttack, a 65-year-old man of ward -6 here in Angul district died of the disease Monday.
Bhubuni Behera’s death has unnerved the residents who were found spending apprehensive moments over the danger arising out of the spread of the disease.
Sources said Behera was undergoing treatment at the sub-divisional hospital here for last three months but was shifted to a Cuttack hospital where he died.
Some other persons – Girish Bhutia (60) and his daughter-in-law Banabasi Bhutia, Manas Behera, Subhash Behera, Liza Moharana, Purnachandra Moharana, Rajesh Bhutia and Subha Sourav Bai (17) of ward-6 and Gayatri Das, Suniti Bai and Rajkumar Bhutia of ward -9 have been reportedly affected by jaundice. Four of them have been admitted to hospital.
Locals held the apathetic attitude of the administration, pollution control department, public health engineering organisation and sewerage board authorities responsible for the spread of the disease.
They alleged the disease has spread as the sewerage board has been discharging drain water into river Brahmani flowing near the town. The water is lifted by a pump house of PHEO and supplied to the city residents.
Locals said this has been going on for several years and the authorities have not taken any steps to address the problem despite the region contributing Rs 1,000 crore as annual revenue to the state government.
Sub-divisional medical officer Anil Mishra said he has informed the sub-collector after the disease made its arrival in the town. He claimed that the disease has spread as the water supplied to people is not treated by the PHEO. Mishra warned that the disease might aggravate during the rainy season if urgent steps are not taken to check it.
Sub-collector Shyam Bhakta Mishra said he has directed the PHEO and municipal authorities to take adequate steps in this regard. PNN