SAMBHAVNA CLINIC, BHOPAL, AUGUST 18, 2006
Flood water entered thousands of houses. Everything people had is wet and because the sun hasn’t come out since then except very briefly nothing is dry.
1. Well over 1500 families were submerged by contaminated water from the Union Carbide factory and the Solar Evaporation ponds/landfill.
2. Thousands of children are suffering from fever, loose motions and cough and cold.
3. Government officials have left out large populations affected by the flood during their survey.
4. Everywhere people have requested medicines and medicare.
5. Purification of water is one of the most important relief activities.
1. Shakti Nagar
Location: Right next to Union Carbide factory to the east.
Water came in from Union Carbide factory entered up to 4 feet [and some places more than that] in approx 125 houses. Because of bursting of water pipes they have been getting dirty drinking water. People have not received any help from the government officials. After intervention by Sambhavna community health workers, chlorine tablets [for water purification] were distributed today.
Main medical complaints: Cold, cough, fever, eye infections, abdominal pain, loose motions.
2. Atal-Ayub Nagar
Location: Adjacent to Union Carbide factory to the east and north.
Water came in from Union Carbide factory. Up to 250 houses had up to 5 feet water inside. People have received chlorine tablets and food packets. Some water was supplied through water tankers.
Main medical complaints: Fever, fever with chills, body ache.
3. Shivshakti Nagar & Preet Nagar
Location: Next to the Solar Evaporation landfill to the north.
Water came in from the Solar Evaporation pond. Water entered 4 houses. Have received no help. Water tanker came yesterday after a gap of 3 days.
Main medical complaints: No complaints related to flood.
4. Shiv Nagar
Location: 3 kilometer north of Union Carbide factory.
350 houses had more than 5 feet water that came in from the Solar Evaporation pond and landfill. Water has not receded 3 days after the flood.
Main medical complaints: Cold, cough, skin problems, fever, fever with chills.
5. Rajgarh Colony
Location: 1 kilometer south east of Union Carbide factory next to railway track.
500 families affected. Water entered houses 3 to 5 feet. People have lost food grains. People have received chlorine tablets. Government officials have carried out survey for damages due to floods.
Main medical complaints: Fever, loose motions, vomiting, cough and cold, skin diseases.
6. Dwarka Nagar
Location: East of Rajgarh Colony on the other side of railway track.
600 to 700 houses had 4 to 10 feet water. 30 houses were completely submerged. People have lost food grains. Cattle have died. Government officials have carried out survey but the most badly affected remain to be surveyed.
Main medical complaints: Cold, cough, fever, loose motions, skin diseases, vomiting.
7. Congress Nagar
Location: 1.5 kilometer south west of Union Carbide factory
1000 to 1100 houses had 5 to 8 feet water. 30 houses were completely submerged. Government officials have carried out survey but the most badly affected remain to be surveyed.
Main medical complaints: Fever, loose motions, vomiting, skin diseases, pain in limbs.
8. Teela Jamalpura
Location: 2 kilometers south west of Union Carbide factory
800 to 900 houses have been affected. About 25 houses next to the nullah completely submerged. Several houses have got cracks. People are getting very dirty water through their taps. Chlorine tablets have not been distributed. Survey has been carried out.
Main medical complaints: Cold, cough, fever, loose motions, skin diseases, vomiting.
9. PGBT College area
1200 houses affected by water flooding in from nullah. Houses had 5 to 8.5 feet water. People have not received any help from government. Lot of garbage piled up.
Main medical complaints: Cold, cough, fever.
10. Shankar Nagar
Location: 1 kilometer north east of the Union Carbide factory
170 of 300 houses had 4 to 5 feet water. Water has not receded even now. People lost food grains. Many walls have collapsed. One woman delivered her child in the autorickshaw that was taking her to the hospital. The child died. 25 mud houses collapsed. Non government organizations distributed food on two days.
Main medical complaints: Cold, cough, fever, fever with chills, loose motions, skin diseases, chest pain.
11. Oriya Basti
Location: 1.5 kilometers north east of Union Carbide factory.
25 of the 136 houses have collapsed. Water had entered many houses and receded only after people broke the wall of the office of the Department of Telecommunications. Baby died after delivery. People have got chlorine tablets. Garbage piled every where. Non government organisations distributed food on two days.
Main medical complaints: Cold, cough, fever, fever with chills, loose motions, pain in limbs.
12. Kalyan Nagar
Location: 2 kilometers north of Union Carbide factory
600 houses affected. Houses had up to 4 feet water. 20 cement and 8 mud houses have collapsed. 8 buffaloes were carried away. Many people lost their belongings. People are drinking water from tube wells that is contaminated. No government help has reached here. People complain of severe infestation of mosquitoes.
Main medical complaints: Cold, cough, fever, fever with chills, skin diseases.
13. Shaaheen Colony
Location: East of Sambhavna Trust Clinic
All 72 houses submerged completely. Several houses still have water. People have received chlorine tablets. many children are sick.
Main medical complaints: Cold, cough, fever, loose motions, skin diseases, abdominal pain.
14. Sundar Nagar
Location: East of Sambhavna Trust Clinic
70 houses submerged. People have nowhere to stay. Walls of houses are cracked. Government officials have surveyed for flood related damage and distributed food packets.
Main medical complaints: Cold, cough, fever, fever with chills, loose motions, skin diseases.
Survey carried out by : Masarrat Jehan, Aziza Sultan, Ritesh Kumar Pal, Biju Kumar, Tabassum Ara, Shehanaz Khan, S M Nasir, Tasneem Zaidi, Anand Verma
Making a donation to help the flood relief work
Donations can be made online to the Bhopal Medical Appeal, which funds the work of the Sambhavna Trust Clinic, by clicking here now.
Please note, the Bhopal Medical Appeal is a project of the Pesticide Action Network, UK, and so the receipt on your credit card statement will say PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK.

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