The District Medical and Health Officer, K. Veerabbai, along with the Rural Water Supply Superintending Engineer on Thursday for the first time visited Molakalapenta in Guntakal mandal of the district to assess the situation arising out of kidney ailments, which were reported in these columns in April.
Since the news was reported in these columns, Anantapur Member of Parliament Talari Rangaiah had been making efforts to get a team of doctors from the Anantapur Medical College along with some screening equipment to Molakalapenta. “Since an airconditioned bus is not available to carry the equipment, the team could not go there,” the MP told The Hindu.
Dr. Veerabbai said based on media reports, District Collector M. Gauthami had directed them to assess the situation in the village to initiate preventive measures. “From my preliminary inquiry in the village, not many were affected and those affected were habitual alcoholics or had family history. The RWS SE will also conduct a laboratory analysis of the drinking water from various sources and come to a conclusion if arsenic was in high quantities, as that causes kidney ailments,” he said.
Asked if he had received any request from Ayyagarlapalli in Settur mandal on similar issues, he said he did not have any knowledge about it and had not received any grievance from the Spandana cell in the Collector office. “If we get any such request, we will depute a team to Ayyagarlapalli also,” he added.
