Jamshedpur: As inundation in low-lying parts in Jamshedpur began to recede on Thursday, residents of more than 38 affected localities were left struggling with thick sludge, silt and heaps of garbage deposited inside their homes and neighbourhood.Residents of Bhuiyadih, Baridih, Kadma, Sonari, Jugsalai, Bagbera and Mango, among other areas along Kharkai and Subernarekha rivers, spent the day cleaning flood-ravaged houses and salvaging whatever belongings they could.With clear skies and sunshine aiding relief efforts, men, women and children were seen scooping out muddy water, scrubbing floors and disposing of damaged household items.“By the time we could move our belongings to a safer place, floodwater entered our house with tremendous force and damaged several items, including a mattress,” said Golu Yadav, a milk vendor from Shastrinagar Block-2 in Kadma.East Singhbhum deputy commissioner Rajiv Ranjan directed officials of Mango Municipal Corporation (MMC), Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC) and Jugsalai Municipal Council (JMC) to intensify sanitation drives in affected areas and deploy additional workers wherever required.“Besides cleaning roads and drains, bleaching powder is being sprinkled simultaneously in affected localities to prevent the spread of diseases,” JNAC town commissioner Yogendra Prasad said.Amid concerns over possible disease outbreaks in the aftermath of the floods, the district health department has formed medical teams to monitor affected areas and provide immediate healthcare support.Acting on DC’s directive, civil surgeon Sahir Pal constituted a dedicated medical team and said medicines for vector-borne diseases and other common illnesses had been stocked at Community Health Centre (CHC) in Jugsalai and other CHCs across the district. Ambulances have also been kept on standby to handle medical emergencies, he added.Meanwhile, the body of 28-year-old Tipu Khan, who was swept away by strong river currents in Shastrinagar Block-2 under Kadma police station limits late Tuesday night, was recovered on Thursday morning.After an extensive search operation, an NDRF team located the body in bushes near Marine Drive Chhath Ghat on Road No. 5 in Shastrinagar. Police identified the deceased with the help of family members before sending the body to MGM Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem examination.
