Officials of the Health Department who conducted inspections in the camps of migrant labourers across the State on Saturday have yet again found them living and working in inhuman and appalling conditions.
Inspections were held as part of ‘Safe Kerala’ initiative to prevent and control the outbreak of infectious diseases. Health officials, in 1,032 teams, inspected various migrant labour work sites and residential accommodations.
Nine camps — four in Ernakulam, one each in Kottayam, Wayanad, Palakkad, Thrissur, and Kasaragod — were ordered closure notice and 1,148 camps were served notices as these were found to be housing migrant labourers in extremely unhygienic and unsanitary conditions.
Waste menace
Most of the camps and its premises were found to be teeming with plastic and other solid wastes, posing a threat to the environment as well as public health.
Health officials reported that at least 150 migrant labourers could be harbouring filariasis and 28 persons were suspected leprosy cases. Some 25 children who have not had any immunisation cover and 307 children who have only had partial immunisation were also found.
Stashes of tobacco products banned in the State were also seized from 54 locations.
With huge number of migrant labourers in the State, infectious diseases control measures in labour camps and premises were necessary, health officials said.
A chunk of the filariasis and malaria cases now being reported in the State were “imported.” This happened when migrant labourers, who were carriers of filariasis/malaria-causing organisms, come into the State and settle in unhygienic circumstances.
The entire exercise was coordinated directly by Director of Health Services N. Sreedhar as well as other senior health service officials.
1,032 teams inspect work sites, residential camps
28 suspected leprosy cases detected
