Superstitions, contaminated water and food poisoning are said to be the main reasons for the death of 16 tribal people, including three children, in the Chaparai hamlet.
According to some tribal people of Y. Ramavaram, organisers of a wedding in Chaparai on May 5 reportedly brought meat from Rampachodavaram and arranged a dinner for the entire village between May 5 and 7. The meat was stocked at an unknown place for a day before it was cooked.
Two versions
However, there are two versions on the meat that was brought from Rampachodavaram. Some residents reportedly told their Y. Ramavaram friends that they had hunted a bull and dried it up in the traditional way for one week before the wedding and prepared the food.
“There is every possibility of bacteria or fungus formation during drying of the meat during monsoon, which might have led to food poisoning. While those with resistance power survived, others succumbed,” said Rammurthy, retired medical officer, who worked in the Agency for more than two decades.
There is no road connectivity, drinking water facility and regular visit of medical teams to about 100 villages in five mandals of the Agency.
Visit to quacks
According to Bonam Satish, a lecturer, in Addateegala, superstition is prevalent in the interior villages of Y. Ramavaram, Chinturu, Yetapaka, V.R. Puram and Koonavaram mandals, which are inaccessible.
“Last year, pedal edema was reported in Rekhapalli village in V.R. Puram mandal, which claimed six lives owing to alleged water contamination,” he recalled.
He said the tribal people did not report high fever or leg swelling to any official and they went to local quacks.
Now, the tribal people in Chaparai, who are suffering from pedal edema, anaemia, kidney problems, malnutrition and malaria, are reportedly visiting quacks.
“No ANM or medical team has visited Chaparai, Boddagandi or any other hamlet or village,” said Boddagandi sarpanch Marigela Narasamma.
She visited Chaparai on Monday by trekking 30 km and participated in service activities.
According to ITDA Project Officer Dinesh Kumar, officials in Gurthedu panchayat, which is 20 km away from Chaparai, have no information about the fever or leg swelling.
“The tribal people of Chaparai, Boddagandi, Pathakota, Dadaragadda, Gurthedu, Kanivada, Chavadikota B.M. Valasa and other villages visit Y. Ramavaram weekly shandis (santha) and purchase medicines along with their daily needs.
However, they never visit the PHC in Y. Ramavaram on their own,” said Dr. Rammurthy.
