Batala, Punjab, Oct 16 : Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today took stock of the gastroenteritis situation here and said the state government would soon organise a mega health camp in the city to diagnose patients afflicted with the disease in particular.
Talking to reporters after inspecting Gandhi camp, Badal said as a part of the state government's commitment to deliver health facilities to the people, this mega camp would be organised in Batala in December on the lines of ‘Sangat Darshan.'
This would facilitate the people to avail affordable and quality health care under one roof, he said, adding that patients suffering from serious ailments will also be seen by medical practitioners.
Expressing grief over the death of 21 people here in the past fortnight due to gastroenteritis, Badal said it was unfortunate that this disease had made inroads in the area due to the mixing of sewage with drinking water as the condition of supply pipes was dilapidated.
He announced ex-gratia grant of Rs one lakh for their next of kin and said the Punjab Health System Corporation (PHSC) was carrying out relief operations on a war-footing.
Free medicines worth Rs 3 lakh were also being supplied to the area's residents for preventing any further spread of the disease.
Visibly upset over the conditions in which the residents of Gandhi camp locality were residing, Badal asked Deputy Commissioner (DC) Gurdaspur and political leaders present on the occasion to draft a suitable rehabilitation policy for these people with their express consent.
