One more dies of diarrhoea at Tonganagaon TE, toll 12; Sonowal concerned

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 22, 2024

One more person died of diarrhoea at Tonganagaon tes estate near Kakopathar in Upper Assam’s Tinsukia district on Tuesday evening taking the death toll to 12 in the tea estate in the last week.

“One more person died yesterday evening. Now one person is undergoing treatment at Tinsukia Civil Hospital. Two others were released today,” said Anuj Tanti, general secretary, Assam Tea Tribes Students Association (ATTSA), Tinsukia District Committee.

“A delegation of ATTSA led by assistant secretary Debaru Kurmi visited the tea estate today to take stock of the situation,” Tanti said.

Meanwhile, a delegation of health officials, including the joint director of district health service and revenue circle officer visited the tea estate on Wednesday to review the situation.

A kind of fear psychosis has been brewing in the tea estate following the death of 12 persons. Even as the people believed it to be cholera, health officials confirmed that it was nothing but diarrhoea.

“There is no doctor in the garden hospital. People choose open spaces for defecation. They do so either because they do not have a toilet readily accessible or due to traditional cultural practices. The practice is common where sanitation infrastructure and services are not available,” Tanti said.

State labour welfare minister Sanjay Kishan also visited the garden and took stock of the situation.

A mobile medical unit that reached the hospital on Tuesday started treatment of the sick people. 

On Tuesday, the Tinsukia district committee of ATTSA submitted a memorandum to Tinsukia district commissioner demanding immediate measures to check the disease in the tea gardens, provide adequate and advanced treatment to the patients lying ill either at home or in hospital, ensure proper health services in all the tea gardens of the district.

Meanwhile, Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal has expressed profound concern over the outbreak of diarrhoea-like illness resulting in the unfortunate demise of 12 individuals at the tea estate. Recognizing the severity of the situation, Sonowal engaged in direct communication with chief secretary Ravi Kota and district commissioner of Tinsukia, Swapnil Pal, to assess the situation and directed the officials to provide immediate assistance.

Expressing his heartfelt condolences, Sonowal extended prayers for the departed souls and offered his deepest condolences to the affected families. Sonowal has directed the concerned authorities to take adequate measures and ensure the well-being of the residents of Tomgona Tea Estate.