The government needs to take precautionary measures at the other fishing jetties too Cutbona fishing jetty, the biggest one in South Goa, has turned into a hotspot for the dreaded dengue disease. At least seven persons are admitted for suspected dengue while one person died on Monday.
Around 250 trawlers operate from the Cutbona jetty and it is said that nearly 4,000 workers are engaged in the fishing business there. The jetty and neighbouring areas are susceptible to vector-borne diseases as many workers come from dengue-pandemic regions of Jharkhand, Odisha and others. The mechanised fishing scene is such that without a migrant workforce, trawlers cannot do business.
The climatic situation has also favoured vector-borne diseases. Goa witnessed a short dry spell after weeks of rain. The state has surpassed 150 inches of rainfall. A dry spell with humidity can increase the likelihood of dengue transmission. Stagnant water provides the perfect ground for the Aedes mosquitoes, the carriers of the dengue virus. This is probably what may have happened after the workers landed at the jetty from the endemic areas.
What is worrisome is that research has shown that the Aedes mosquito can breed even in saline water. One can say that an outbreak of water-borne diseases was on the cards as concerns were raised about Cutbona jetty turning into a hotspot for dengue and other diseases due to poor sanitation. Even trawler owners had voiced concern over the neglect of the jetty by the government two months ago.
Was no precaution taken at the jetty? The Balli health centre under whose jurisdiction Cutbona falls, said 800 workers had been screened at the jetty. The teams from the health centre had found water accumulation when it conducted anti-larvae operations. Officials at the health centre said that their health workers had been posted at the jetty to screen migrant labourers arriving at the jetty since last month.
What has come to light is the issue of sanitation. While the state government at national level boasts of achieving 100% sauchalaya suvidha, here at Cutbona, the toilet facilities are much inadequate for the large number of migrant workforce.
The Velim panchayat had been pleading with the government to provide adequate sanitation facilities at the jetty. Some bio-toilets have also been provided but apparently they are not enough to maintain sanitation norms at the jetty. A 50-block community toilet was proposed years ago and despite alarm raised over the years of lack of sanitation, it is yet to see the light of the day.
It is also the responsibility of the Fisheries Department to ensure that basic facilities are provided to the workmen. It’s a pity that the poor workers who come to run the fisheries sector in Goa are not getting proper sanitation amenities. Consequently, it is the locals who are victims when the deadly dengue virus spreads in nearby areas. The Cutbona outbreak needs to be controlled immediately.
The jetty has been struck by a Cholera-type situation too. The state government will have to enhance surveillance so that such cases are nipped in the bud. A proper monitoring mechanism should also be put in place to respond to outbreaks effectively. In any such situation including dengue, early detection helps to mitigate the spread of virus.
At the other fishing jetties too, the trawler crew members come from other states including from Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and others. There’s a high possibility that they will also have workers who come from endemic regions. A close watch will have to be maintained by the health authorities in association with the fisheries department and the fisheries cooperative societies, at the respective jetties.
The screening of workers in case any more are likely to come these days, will have to be stepped up. At the government level, there has to be better coordination between departments. At times they seem to work in isolation. Vector control measures, awareness among workers on health parameters, are needed to keep vector-borne diseases at bay.
In fact, there has to be a proper mechanism all across the major fishing jetties, to regularly inspect the place whether sanitation facilities are maintained properly and also to monitor the workers’ health status. The government needs to take a review meeting to ensure that there is no outbreak of vector-borne diseases at the fishing jetties.