KAKINADA: With the mystery illness still in public memory, Opposition parties are trying to cash in on health issues in Eluru city during the Eluru Municipal Corporation elections in West Godavari district.
After the election notification for the corporation was issued, the Telugu Desam and the Jana Sena wanted to highlight the mysterious disease. More than 400 cases were reported in Eluru city and majority of cases were from One Town area.
“Eluru faces a lot of health problems and people are suffering from ailments. They never experienced such mysterious illness in the past where many suddenly collapsed and got ill. The lab reports revealed that water pollution is main cause. The government failed to take steps to bring the situation under control. The people got ill when they drank drinking water supplied by panchayat or municipal corporation. Those who drank mineral water did not get sick,’’ said the Telugu Desam Eluru city convener Badeti Radhakrishna Murthy (Chanti).
He said people are closely watching the irregularities of the YSRC and urban people want to teach them a lesson. However, he alleged that the ruling party wants to do electioneering by giving money to voters and warned the TD would curb it by creating awareness among voters.
The YSRC, on its part, wants to counter attack the Opposition. The party leaders said the government succeeded in curbing the mystery illness under the leadership of the Medical and Health Minister Alla Kalikrishna Srinivas (Nani) who is also MLA of Eluru Urban. A YSRC leader of Eluru City said the state government brought medical and research experts and succeeded in finding out the problem and took proper steps not ensure such incidents are not repeated. He said the Municipal Corporation was also giving pure drinking water after filtering it. He said the people understand how the government was taking steps for the health of the people.
