By IANS
Bhubaneswar : The death toll due to cholera and diarrhoea in Orissa’s three districts of Koraput, Rayagada and Kalahandi has risen to 119, health officials here said Monday.
While 52 people have died in the worst hit Kashipur block of the Rayagada district, 40 people have died in the Dasmantpur block of Koraput district, a senior official of the state health control room told IANS.
At least 27 people have succumbed to the diseases in Thuamul Rampur block of Kalahandi district. All the deaths have occurred over the past one and a half months, the official said.
However, non-official sources said at least 250 people have died due to cholera and diarrhoea.
According to NGO ActionAid, the government is deliberately keeping the number of deaths low in order to minimise the amount of compensation.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik who visited the disease-hit areas recently has claimed that the situation is under control.