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May 2004
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60 die of diarrhoea, cholera in UP

          Gorakhpur: At least 60 children in Uttar Pradesh have died and over 500 are seriously affected by diarrhoea and cholera triggered by intense heat wave sweeping the region. Hospitals here are flooded with parents rushing in their sick children. Temperatures in several areas of the state have soared to 47 degrees in the last few days. The scorching heat coupled with unhygenic living conditions, particularly the use of contaminated water from dwindling water sources, has led to the spurt in the diseases. Most of the casualties have been reported from villages. Hospital officials say the interiors of the country have poor health care facilities and patients are brought to them in the terminal stages when it gets extremely difficult to help them.
May 21, 2004

Auto strike in Agra leaves commuters stranded (Go to Top)

          Agra: Hundreds of auto drivers stayed off the roads in an indefinite strike that started on Wednesday in Agra, causing hardship to commuters trying to reach their work places. The operators accused the city authorities of "high handedness" while enforcing changes in the existing routes. Auto drivers said that many of the police officials not only extorted huge sums of money, but also physically tortured them, all in the name of enforcing traffic rules. A few others also complained that they were facing trouble because they were prevented from entering many areas. "The auto drivers are asked to shell out money by the authorities without any reason which is not right. So we are facing such problems," said D.C. Goel, convener of Auto Rickshaw and Tempo Driver Association. The worst sufferers are the commuters. Many of them have to carry bags and baggages, or rely on rickshaws or even bullock carts, all in the midst of the hot and humid summers.
May 20, 2004

Diarrhoea affects over 300 in Chennai (Go to Top)

          Chennai: Over three hundred people have been taken ill after a diarrhoea outbreak on Thursday in Chennai. Contaminated drinking water is believed to be the cause of the disease, which is common in rural India during the summers. Most of the patients, including children, were admitted to the city's government-run hospital. Patients said that they fell sick after drinking contaminated water. "I was sick for the last two days. When I became very weak, I was admitted here. I think I fell sick because of the contaminated water," said Ashok, a patient. Another patient, Raja, said that the administration has done nothing to purify the water. "I was admitted in the morning. Then I was very weak but after taking medicines, I am feeling better. But I am afraid that I may again fall sick because nothing has been done to purify the water," he said. B. Janardhanam, director of Communicable Diseases Hospital, said that the reason of the outbreak was obviously water contamination. "Over 300 patients have been admitted with the symptoms of diarhhoea and vomiting from certain parts of Chennai, Ottary, Pattalam and Pulianthoppe. The reason obviously is to water contamination. We have started getting it from these areas so it is obviously water borne," he said. The hospital authorities said that they were doing their best to control the situation.
May 20, 2004

A luxury hotel floats in Kolkata (Go to Top)

         Kolkata: Kolkata is to shortly open a floating hotel, expected to draw tourists and businessmen in a big way. Taking a cue from Moscow, St. Petersberg, Vienna, Hamburg and Amsterdam, Kolkata has come up with Manor Floatel on the river Hoogly. The four-storied Floatel with four-star status has been under construction for the past four-and-a-half years at the Kidderpore docks. The Floatel has a 24-hour coffee shop that can accommodate 110 guests and a speciality restaurant. The centrally air-conditioned marvel has 73 rooms and three suites with marble flooring. The 6.74 million dollars Floating Hotel Complex is expected to be thrown open for tourists in the next three months. Manav Pal, Director of Manor Floatel, said he expected a large number of travellers from South Asian countries. "Well, this is definitely unique as there is no hotel in India or for that matter in the entire SAARC countries-India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the rest of the countries-there is no floating hotel. The hotel is lying sleeping on the river. You can see the entire panorama of the river...we will have visitors from all sections of society," said Pal. Pal said Floatel's was meant to look like a ship and was under constant scrutiny of the American Bureau of Shipping, an agency affiliated to the UN International Maritime Commission. May 18, 2004

Diarrhoea outbreak in Dehradun (Go to Top)

         Dehradun: Over 100 people have been taken ill after a diarrhoea outbreak in Dehradun.Contaminated drinking water is believed to be the cause of the disease, which is common in rural India during the summers. Most of the patients, who included children, were admitted to Dehradun's government-run hospital since the last four days. "Since, last evening, numerous children have been admitted in this hospital. If authorities do not take any steps soon then it will lead to an outbreak in the entire state," said Ravinder Kumar, a local resident. D.C. Dhyani, the Chief Medical Officer of Dehradun, said that at many places sewage lines intermingled with drinking water lines, which could have led to the outbreak. "The cases of vomiting and loose motion which are being reported, we believe, are due to unsafe drinking water. Had it been (due to contaminated), food it would have been the entire area. This is because, in many areas, the sewage line is going along the main drinking water line," said Dhyani. Local residents blamed the authorities for lapses in hygiene norms. "They are releasing dirty water for drinking purpose. There is nobody to take care of such things," said Munna tali, a local resident.
May 15, 2004

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