Bhubaneswar: In response to the rising cases of diarrhea in several districts, the Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Department has issued an urgent advisory to all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and district-level officials. The advisory directs them to take immediate preventive and response measures to contain the outbreak.
Principal Secretary Usha Padhee has emphasized the need for enhanced vigilance and real-time monitoring to ensure the sanitization and safety of all water sources, particularly in vulnerable urban areas. Senior officers have been instructed to closely monitor the situation and report any clusters or patterns of mass cases immediately.
“Prevention is key. We must act swiftly to safeguard communities and contain the spread,” said Padhee, while stressing the importance of coordinated field response in partnership with the Health and Family Welfare Department.
Key directions issued include immediate inspection and sanitisation of drinking water sources, identification and rapid response to potential hotspots, close coordination with Health Department teams and sensitisation of field staff and community engagement on hygiene practices.
The department is also facilitating emergency water quality checks, increased sanitation drives, and public awareness campaigns to prevent further outbreaks, especially during the pre-monsoon period.
Citizens are urged to remain vigilant, consume only safe drinking water, and promptly report any symptoms to the nearest health facility or urban Health Officials
