After the death of six people reportedly due to diarrhoea during the past five days in Karnal’s new grain market, hundreds of protesters staged a dharna against the market committee authorities.
Several labourers gathered at the market committee office in the grain market with the body of Rohit, a teenager who died on Thursday, and shouted slogans against the authorities, blaming them for not ensuring clean drinking water for labourers working at the grain market.
Protesting labourers alleged that as many as six people working as labourers have died in the past five days due to diarrhoea as the area has been getting contaminated water. Several others are still admitted in various hospitals for treatment of similar symptoms of the water-borne disease, they alleged.
The health department has been organising health camps in the area for the last two days. “Around 80 persons have been detected with symptoms of mild diarrhoea. We have referred 18 of them to the Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College and Hospital and the Civil Hospital,” Dr. Saroj, Deputy Civil Surgeon told reporters.
The agitated protesters lifted the dharna after the Tehsildar visited the site and assured them of proper treatment resoling other issues.
The Congress party meanwhile has hit out at the ruling BJP government, accusing it of criminal negligence.
“Six people have died in Chief Minister Manohar Lal’s constituency. This is serious. Will Mr. Khattar take the responsibility,” asked senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala in a tweet.
