TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Local residents of Cutbona on Thursday set a 10-day deadline on the Velim panchayat to take necessary action to stop housing and bathing facilities for migrant labourers in their locality, even as a migrant worker tested positive for dengue fever today, taking the number of persons affected by the fever to 10.
In a signed memorandum submitted to the Velim sarpanch Melvyn Sanches, angry Cutbona locals have threatened to take the law in their hands if the authorities fail to take action.
The residents have also demanded shifting of the fishing nets stored in the residential locality and have asked the panchayat to write to the PWD for permanent disconnection of water supply to the boat owners, who have provided unhygienic sanitation to migrant labourers.
The residents have set the 10-day deadline a day after inspection of the residential locality revealed dengue larvae breeding in water storage tanks in the area meant for migrant workers.
Meanwhile, president of Cutbona Boat Owners Union Seby Cardozo said that a migrant worker, who was down with fever along with another worker, has tested positive for dengue fever. He said the duo was putting up in the residential locality along with other migrant workers, but were shifted to the jetty on Wednesday.
In the meantime, health officials carried out fogging of the entire locality, right from the fishing jetty to the residential locality after Wednesday’s inspection revealing a frightening situation.
