Rain ups level of groundwater

river Penganga is flowing high near Anandpur in Jainad

The drinking water shortage till a few days back has subsided with the increased ground water table following the heavy rains for the last few days at various places in the Adilabad district.

youth fishing in a stream near Jainad

Adilabad district has received 199.5 mm rainfall against actual rainfall 256.7 mm in the last one month while the rainfall was high in the last four days. 

As many as 24 mandals have received excessive rainfall while 22 mandals normal and six mandals were facing deficit rainfall out of total 52 mandals in the district.  

The rains brought a sigh of relief to the people as far as drinking water shortage was concerned with the rivulets and streams are flowing high with rainwater. Residents are finding water in their hand bores for the last four days due to heavy rains.

Groundwater levels that had drastically due to severe drought have seen an increase in water levels. Tanks have started receiving rainwater with rains affecting the Mission Kakatiya works at various places.

At most places, tank revival works were abandoned as tanks have started receiving rainwater. However, the new water coming into agriculture well and drinking water and open wells can cause health problems if people drinking it without boiling.

People in tribal areas who depend on open wells, streams and rivulets for drinking are particularly vulnerable.

Seasonal diseases spread easily when the water is exposed to pollutants and open defecation. Unfortunately, the Panchayatraj and RWS departments have failed to take preventive measures to avoid seasonal diseases or control them. 

Minister tells Adivasis to shun superstitions

Health minister checking health of Adivasi child

Health Minister Dr C. Laxma Reddy said Adivasis still believe in superstitions which indirectly affecting their health and causing even causes death.

He appealed to the Adivasis to give up their belief in superstitions and take medical treatment for the good health and protect themselves from the diseases.

Minister asked the members of youth associations, community elders to educate the community people against the superstitions. He said a special ward in RIMS will be reserved for Tribal patients come across the district for treatment. 

Along with Ministers Jogu Ramanna and Allola Indrakran Reddy, health minister Laxma Reddy visited the Adivasi gudems where incidents of viral fevers, malaria positive cases and deaths were reported in Sirpur (U) and Jainoor mandals.

‘Some of the Adivasis not even going to hospital for treatment and instead taking traditional medicines made of herbs, he observed and said it was high time Adivasis change themselves and use modern medical treatment offered by the state government’.

The minister said efforts would be made to give nutritious food to Adivasis suffering from anemia to improve their immunity.  

During his visit, Mr Laxma Reddy admitted that there were cases of fevers but not in large numbers and directed the officials concerned to shift all the Adivasis including children suffering from malaria and viral fevers to Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Adilabad.

Some of the Adivasis of  Pullara village in Sirpur (U) complained to the ministers that the doctors ad staff of the PHCs are not giving them treatments citing that they do not come under their jurisdiction and advising them to go another PHCs which were far away from their native villages.

The health minister expressed displeasure over not shifting the villagers suffering from fevers to Adilabad for better treatment and for not attending the patients seriously while stressing upon the sanitation, drinking potable water.       

Mr Laxma Reddy surprised when Asifabad MLA Kova Laxmi explained him some of the traditions practiced with regard to lactating women and just born babies by the Adivasis.

Health minister also inspected government hospitals at Jainoor and Utnoor and promised to upgrade the hospitals as community health center and 100 bedded hospital respectively.