Idol makers caught in malaria spread

The disease has spread rapidly among idol-makers in Lalbaug and Chinchpokli,the centre of the festivities in the city. Ganesh Kala Pradarshan,which supplies idols to 150 pandals in both areas,is six hands short,all admitted to Kasturba Hospital in Chinchpokli. Owner Ramesh Rawle said,“I am making others work overtime. I have already turned down 60 orders. You can guess the losses I am making.”

Overworked,the healthy idol-makers are charging more. “The rate was Rs 500-600 a day for an eight-hour shift last year. This time it’s twice that,”said Vijay Khatu,who makes idols in Parel. “We are working 12-15 hours,sometimes till daybreak,to fill in for those who are ill,” said an idol-maker who has travelled from Bihar.

Dahibawkar blames the BMC for not fogging the affected areas properly. “If they did,so many would not have fallen ill.”

Anil Bamne,the BMC’s chief insecticide officer,said,“We have not received specific instructions to fog these workshops,but are going once every eight days to the colonies where mosquitoes breed,and fogging the areas around the workshops.” A worker at Chinchpokli countered he has not seen any fogging in 20 days. “We work from 5 am till 10 pm and would not have missed any fogging activity,” he said.

Dahibawkar said he raised the issue with deputy municipal commissioner Dr KN Kshirsagar,in charge of the Ganpati festival. “Till now there has been no action. Not every mandal can afford a fogging machine. Most of the idol makers are migrant workers and live in these workshops.”

Dr Kshirsagar countered,“ We have received no complaints from them. They should anyway take care of their workers and create better conditions.”

Repair roads before festival,demands NCP
The NCP has written to the BMC and the MMRDA,demanding that roads be repaired before the Ganesh festival. Maharashtra NCP president Madhukar Pichad wrote to municipal commissioner Swadheen Kshatriya and metropolitan commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad Tuesday,demanding action against the officials and contractors responsible for the poor condition of roads. If the issue is ignored,“the situation will become serious,”the letter says. It points out that citizens pay taxes for the paving and repair of roads,but they are so bad that it is difficult to rush to a hospital during an emergency. – ENS