Mayor denies cholera deaths

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Mayor Saidai S Duraisamy has stoutly denied cholera deaths in Chennai, saying that not a single death occurred due to cholera or ADD (Acute Diarrheal Disease) over the last nine months since he assumed office.

“True, there have been some cases but they have been treated in the hospitals. Patients have recovered and gone home. The allegations that deaths have happened are false and mischievous”, the mayor said.

He said he was prepared to “face any punishment” if the DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin could prove his charge that there had been cholera deaths in Chennai. “He must accept responsibility if he is unable to prove it. He said people have died of cholera. What are the names, addresses? Where are the details?” the mayor asked.

Reliable sources said the mayor was livid learning that the statistics prepared by the Corporation’s health department for deaths under various categories had shown 29 cholera deaths during 2012 (up to June), whereas there was no death due to cholera during this period.

He is now probing how such a mistake had taken place in the corporation’s medical statistics and who could have ‘leaked’ the flawed figures to the media.

“When the concerned officials were questioned, they said the statistician wrongly posted 29 deaths against cholera instead of adding them to the number of deaths due to cardiac arrest. We suspect that someone has deliberately done this to besmirch the good administration in the AIADMK government”, said a senior official, adding, “Our suspicion is compounded by the fact that the same number, 29, has been supplied to some sections of the media as being the cholera death tally”.

During his Chennai rally on Thursday to protest against the “ineffectiveness” of the city corporation in handling the ADD and cholera cases, Stalin had quoted some media reports saying that 29 cholera deaths had occurred in the city but the civic body kept quiet. He also criticised mayor Duraisamy saying he was not taking measures to prevent and control cholera.

“Our mayor works from early morning till late night. He has so far held over 100 review meetings. Yet Stalin says he (Duraisamy) is not working enough. You can see that bleaching powder has been strewn in several places in the city and extensive fogging is being done to destroy flies and mosquitoes”, said a senior corporation official.