KOLHAPUR/SANGLI/PUNE: “We lost everything in the flood. But as the water receded, our focus was mainly on not catching any illness,” said Ramesh Patil from Tawdarwadi (Dhangao) in Palus taluka in Sangli district.
Dhangao is one of the 100 per cent flood-affected villages in the district. While the floods caused heavy destruction, there were no epidemics. The State government emphasised on distribution of medicines and availability of doctors in these areas from Day One.
ABUNDANCE OF MEDICAL AID
“The kits provided to villagers as part of rescue and relief work contained medical aid too,” said an official at the Sangli District Collector’s Office.
“The medicines for preventing diseases people would be most prone to were provided,” the official added.
As per the Maharashtra State Health Department, 326 medical teams in Kolhapur district and 134 in Sangli district are still functional. They visit families in the submerged areas in both districts.
NGOs too sent medicines on a large scale to the relief centres. Ashok Rokade of White Army in Kolhapur said, “We received medicines worth Rs 50-60 lakh. Through our network, we distributed the medicines among those affected. I think that is the biggest success that has come out of this relief work.” Patil from Dhangao added, “We were given tablets for improving immunity and also preventing leptospirosis and malaria. While some of us caught cold and fever due to rain, we received immediate treatment by doctors visiting the village.”
While the number of dengue patients in Kolhapur was higher than last year, this time Kolhapur city administration is on alert.
According to the State Health Department, surveillance and spraying of insecticides has been taking place regularly.
PLANNED CLEANING
The villagers gave their 100 per cent in ensuring their village was clean.
“As soon as the water receded, our first focus was on clearing corpses of dead animals from the village, as the decaying animals could give rise to many diseases,” Patil said.
Sarpanch of Bhilawadi village in Palus taluka in Sangli district Vijay Chopde said the villagers had been instructed to get rid of rotten, decaying material in their homes on day one itself.
“We made land in the village available for everyone to dump decaying clothes, furniture, mattresses, carpets, rotten grains and other food items from their houses.”
“We also arranged vehicles to pick them up from outside the houses. That way, most of the stuff that stunk was out of the house within the first couple of days after we returned to the village. We are now gradually disposing of it.”
USE OF PACKAGED WATER ONLY
One rule the villagers followed was ‘drink mineral water only’. Until 10 days after the floodwater receded, cans and bottles of mineral water were seen in the villages.
“Earlier, we got packaged water from NGOs and government. Later, we insisted that people buy packaged mineral water until the situation gets under control. We told them, drink less water if necessary, but only mineral water,” said Bhilawadi Gram Sevak RD Patil.
A resident of Sangli city stated, “For several days, the tap water would be muddy. While we drank only packaged water, for other purposes normal water was used after adding alum to it.”
Sangli District Collector Abhijit Chaudhary said, “We have given instructions to increase the dose of chlorination in water supply. People have been advised to boil water before drinking. Water tankers have been supplied to nearby villages wherever we receive complaints about muddy water.”
