Diarrhoea hits several villages in Kaimur dist, over 300 affected

Diarrhoea has taken an epidemic form in several villages of the hilly and tribal-dominated Adhaura block in Kaimur district, due to the consumption of contaminated drinking water.

- Prasun K Mishra

Over 300 poor tribal and forest-dwelling residents—more than 200 of them from Sikri village—have been affected and treated in various private and government hospitals in Kai-mur and Khaliyari (Uttar Pra-desh). Sikri village, located in the Kaimur hills about 60 km from district headquarters Bha-bua, lies on the southwestern border of Bihar and is adjacent to UP, officials said.

The plight of villagers came to light after tribal welfare activist and Bahujan Samaj Party leader Om Prakash Pandey Munna visited Sikri on Saturday. A health department team reached the village on Sunday, following the death of a six-year-old tribal girl, Madhuri Kumari, daughter of Rajesh Singh, due to diarrhoea. A health camp has since been set up in the village.