As many as 306 people have lost their lives due to the spread of infectious diseases in Maharashtra in the wake of the heavy rains and floods, the Lok Sabha was informed on Monday.
Responding to a calling attention motion by Hansraj Ahir of the Bharatiya Janata Party on the issue, Health Minister A Ramadoss said while 202 persons had lost their lives in Mumbai alone, 104 had died in the rest of Maharashtra following the unprecedented rains from July 27 to July 29.
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Assuring the House that the centre was monitoring the situation on a daily basis, he said his ministry had extended more help to the state government than sought by it and the situation now was under control.
Ahir alleged that the deaths were due to the negligence on the part of the state government which had failed to take measures to prevent the outbreak of epidemics.
In a statement, Ramadoss said the government had taken adequate steps to contain the increase in incidents of water- borne and vector-borne diseases. He said 21 persons had died of diarrhoea, 2 of hepatitis, 26 due to fever, 77 due to leptospirosis, 21 due to malaria, 6 due to dengue, and 1 due to cholera. The cause of death of 25 persons had remained undiagnosed.
The centre, he said, had released Rs 1,000 crore for immediate relief measures including emergency health services to be undertaken in the state. "So, it is expected that there should be no shortage of resources," he added.
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