By Violet Pereira, Team Mangalorean

Mangalore : Officials of the Town Planning and Health Department of the Mangalore City Corporation inspected accommodations of labourers for Malaria in Toma Naygara Lane, Kandettu, Bikkarnakatta here on July 7.

The Company called Consolidated Construction Consortium Ltd, which was supplying manpower for construction companies, had constructed temporary labour camps in Bikkarnakatte.  More than 200 labourers from Odissa stay in these camps. The dilapidated camps and poor living condition of the labourers shocked the inspecting officials. 27 labourers have been affected by malaria in these camps.

Since a mega mall is under construction in the city, CCC company is providing man power to the construction work of this mall project.  Tha MCC Malaria cell had informed the CCC authorities to provide blood samples of the labourers but they never turned up. Even the site Engineer was not co-operating with us, said MCC Joint commissioner Srikanth Rao. He was speaking exclusively to mangalorean.com about Malaria being transmitted in these labour camps. He also said that he will write a recommendation letter to the Mangalore City Corporation Commissioner Harish Kumar to suspend the licence of such camps and ask them to vacate that area as early as possible , so that others will not be affected.

Suresh Tally in-charge of PMC said that there are 200 labourers staying here in 100 camps.  We are taking good care of the labourers, only 5 were affected from Malaria, 3 are admitted in the hospital and 2 are already cured.

Supervisors, Malaria Control Cell, MCC, Lebwine Colaco, Chandrahas, Radhakrishna and Babita were on the spot taking blood samples of every labourer in the camp.

The surrounding area of the camps are affected because of stagnant water which is a breeding place for mosquitoes. The officers inspected the camps and also met the Malaria affected labourers. The persons who were tested positive for Malaria were treated on the spot and given Anti- Malaria tablets.

Town Planning Officer Balakrishna Gowda and Assistant Town Planning Officer Dilip S were also present