TB takes 4 lives in Jajpur-Sukinda mining belt of Odisha, raises concerns

Jajpur: Tuberculosis is turning a silent killer in the Jajpur-Sukinda mining belt of Odisha, it has claimed four lives already. There has been a marked Tuberculosis terror in the Kaliapani chrome zone of Sukinda mining valley of Jajpur district.

In the past 13 days, there have been allegations that four people have died of  TB in Jajpur-Sukinda mining belt area. Human rights activists and lawyers approached the National Human Rights Commission. And based on this complaint, the National Human Rights Commission has asked the Chief Secretary of the State government to respond within seven days.

It is worth mentioning that, while the central government has announced to make India TB free by 2024, there is an exception here. This has created tension and a scare across the region.

Among the dead, Saheb Jamuda (Ranjan) of Kumardinga village under Kalrangi Ward No. 2 of Kaus Panchayat died due to tuberculosis, while earlier it was alleged that Ganeshwar Jamuda also died of it. Similarly, the lives of Sidhu Mohanty of Kanas Panchayat Jagirisahi, and Shankar Munda of Kaliapani Panchayat Gurjunga, the Nirash Mahakud of Kaliapani Hanuman Bazar area have passed away due to TB in Jajpur-Sukinda.

It is alleged that many people died of tuberculosis. Not only in Kaliapani mining area of ​​Sukinda constituency but also in Dalit tribal settlement on Manpur railway side of Kalinganagar industrial area, more than 60 cases of TB were reported.

Reports say that more than 2000 patients are still being treated for this terrible disease in Sukinda mining valley and Kalinganagar industrial area. On the other hand, the District Chief Medical officer Dr. Shibashish Maharana has given his response in this regard. He admitted that one person died of tuberculosis in Kaliapani, while the other three died due to drug addiction after recovering and returning home.

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