The main shed of a labourers’ camp at Vithura, from where human excreta and other waste was found flowing out to a nearby rivulet leading to a river which flows into the Aruvikkara reservoir, was ordered closed by a squad led by District Medical Officer (DMO) T. Peethambaran.
Unhygienic condition
The camp is located at the construction site of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) at Vithura, near Thiruvananthapuram. The squad issued notices in the case of the other sheds in the camp.
There were only 13 usable toilets at the camp housing 1,000-odd labourers. These too were found in a dirty condition with no water supply.
On Saturday 148 squads of the Health Department—as part of the Safe Thiruvananthapuram programme—inspected 1,009 such places where migrant labourers are being housed.
According to a press release issued here by the DMO,145 possible causes of communicable diseases were identified at these locations and as many notices issued. At 27 locations, the labourers were being housed in very unhygienic conditions, the press note said.
At 25 locations the squads found sewerage water being let out into the open. At 53 locations the squad identified spots where mosquitoes breed, while at 23 locations there were no proper treatment facility for waste. At nine places the soak pit of toilets were found inadequately covered while at 11 places the teams found conditions ripe for the spread of communicable diseases.
Those against whom notices have been issued have up to a week to comply with various directives.
Otherwise criminal cases would be initiated against them.
There would be provision for imprisonment from six months to two years in such cases, the press note added.
