Amid mystery illness' outbreak, locals in Andhra's Eluru live nightmare with filth, pig menace

Due to open drains, mosquito population has increased as residents in various localities are spending sleepless nights due to pig menace and garbage dumping.
Pigs roaming freely in the streets at Kobbarithota in Eluru on Monday. (Photo| P Ravindra Babu, EPS)
Pigs roaming freely in the streets at Kobbarithota in Eluru on Monday. (Photo| P Ravindra Babu, EPS)

ELURU: Pig menace and open drains coupled with indiscriminate dumping of garbage in the drains is what one can see in most of the localities in Eluru, where the mystery illness broke out leaving 476 persons sick (till last reports came in) and one person dead.

On Monday, when The New Indian Express visited some of the localities such as Dakshina Veedhi, Padamata Veedhi, Kobbari Thota, Maheswari Colony, Gandhi Colony, Tangellamudi and Kothapeta, several residents complained that representations to the authorities to tackle the pig menace have fallen on deaf ears. 

"Our street itself reported a dozen cases of mystery illness since its outbreak in the city, eight of them were discharged from the hospital and the remaining are undergoing treatment. The civic officials, who conveniently ignored us, have now started carrying out disinfection and fogging operations," said J Wilson, a resident of Kobbari Thota.

Due to open drains, mosquito population has increased and residents in various localities are spending sleepless nights. "Pig-rearing is continuing in our locality notwithstanding the ban imposed by the municipal corporation. The pig-rearers are letting them to roam freely in the streets to feed on the leftover food from the hotels, roadside eateries and waste from the meat shops that are being dumped indiscriminately in the open drains," complained K Veerabhadaraiah, a resident of Kothapet. 

On a few occasions, heated arguments were exchanged between the residents and the pig-rearers for letting them on the streets. Even though the issue was taken to the notice of the civic officials, they did not take any action, he claimed.

"The choked drains in our locality has made our lives miserable as the mosquito population has increased manifold," said P Symala, a resident of Padamata Veedhi. She further complained that even though the sanitary workers cleared the choked drains, they are conveniently ignoring to shift the piled up waste and are dumping it on the roadside.

Even a drizzle makes the situation worse and the public nearby the open drains inhale the foul smell emanating from the choked drains. At least now, the civic authorities should carry out regular fogging operations to prevent the outbreak of viral diseases during winter. When The New Indian Express tried to contact the municipal authorities on the poor sanitation, they were unavailable for comment.

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