Amaravati, February 26: The Andhra Pradesh government has suspended the municipal commissioner of Srikakulam following a severe diarrhea outbreak in the city. This health crisis has resulted in one death and dozens of hospitalizations.
Officials reported that Commissioner Kurma Rao was suspended due to allegations of negligence related to the outbreak. The order for his suspension was issued by Suresh Kumar, the principal secretary of municipal administration.
In recent days, multiple cases of diarrhea have emerged from various parts of Srikakulam. According to District Collector Swapnil Dinkar Pundkar, 76 suspected cases have been identified so far. Currently, 54 patients are receiving treatment in various hospitals, while one individual has died, who was also suffering from other illnesses.
Two patients are on ventilator support, and the medical team is closely monitoring their condition. Authorities have collected water samples from affected areas for testing, sending them to laboratories in Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam. Initial tests at the Srikakulam lab did not reveal contamination, while results from the Visakhapatnam lab are still pending.
The health department has set up medical camps in the affected areas, and the state government has announced it will cover the treatment costs for patients admitted to private hospitals.
Meanwhile, leaders from the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), including former ministers Dharmana Krishnadas, Dharmana Prasad Rao, and Dr. Cidiri Appala Raju, have blamed the state government for the outbreak. After visiting the affected areas, they interacted with families and assessed the ground situation.
YSRCP leaders claimed that contaminated drinking water was the primary cause of the disease’s spread. They also alleged that four deaths have occurred so far, with many others receiving treatment in both government and private hospitals.
The former ministers accused the government of attempting to shift blame onto pre-existing health issues rather than taking responsibility. Dharmana Prasad Rao highlighted that there have been 61 cases of diarrhea in the past 20 months, including incidents in government schools and hostels, indicating administrative failure.
He demanded immediate relief and compensation of 2.5 million rupees for each affected family. Dr. Cidiri Appala Raju accused the local media of ignoring early warnings and claimed there were attempts to downplay the death toll.
Opposition leaders are calling for a high-level investigation, accountability for officials, and immediate measures to ensure safe drinking water supply.
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