Vijayawada, Sep 14: Vijayawada has been plunged into a public health crisis as diarrhea cases continue to spiral in New Rajarajeswari Pet, with more than 700 cases reported in just five days. The coalition government’s negligence has turned the situation into a medical emergency, leaving citizens to struggle without adequate care. Despite the scale of the outbreak, contaminated drinking water continues to be supplied, forcing families to rely on private hospitals, spend lakhs, and fall into debt.
A YSRCP fact-finding team, acting on the directions of Party President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, visited the affected colonies, met patients, and inspected health camps. The team included NTR district YSRCP President Devinenni Avinash, Sattenapalli in-charge Dr. Gajjala Sudheer Bhargav Reddy, former MLAs Malladi Vishnu and Mondithok Jaganmohan Rao, Vijayawada Mayor Rayana Bhagyalakshmi, state leader Sheikh Asif, and YSRCP Student Wing State Working President Ravichandra.
The team found shocking lapses. Residents showed bottles of foul-smelling, muddy water supplied to their homes and pointed to overflowing, filthy drains. Tankers had not been cleaned for over a year, yet this contaminated water is still distributed. Most victims are children, and several deaths have been reported with symptoms of fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. Yet the government downplays the numbers, claiming only 270 cases, while YSRCP identified over 700 in just two streets. In Guntur Rural too, 45 people died earlier due to contaminated water, but no corrective action has followed.
The government has failed on every front: no ambulances, no pediatric doctors at medical camps, no proper enumeration, and no testing of drinking water before supply. During YSRCP’s tenure, water testing kits were provided at village secretariats, and 40 urban health centers with 5,000 sanitary workers functioned effectively, preventing such outbreaks.
Instead of accountability, the coalition spreads false propaganda, blaming Ganesh immersions and street food. Ministers remain absent while focusing on land deals and commissions under “Vijayawada Utsav.” This disgraceful apathy proves the CM is incapable of even controlling routine diarrhea outbreaks.
YSRCP demands the immediate supply of safe drinking water, free medical care, sanitation measures, and compensation for affected families. If the government fails, YSRCP will escalate the matter to the Governor. A Chief Minister who cannot safeguard basic public health has no moral right to remain in office.
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