A fact-finding team of the chronic kidney disease (CKD) in a cluster of villages in Chhatrapur block of Ganjam district made a number of demands before the authorities.
They included an immediate and complete ban on beach sand mining in Odisha, suspension of operations at the IREl plant in Chhatrapur, immediate financial and medical support to the affected individuals and families, ex-gratia from existing funds and schemes of the Central and State Governments, including the National Dialysis Programme, screening and monitoring by an expert medical team to identify and track high-risk individuals and recommend preventive measures, reclamation and replanting of mined lands, closure and sealing of tailing ponds, removal and safe disposal of waste and rehabilitation of natural water bodies, besides an investigation by a high-level expert team into the epidemic outbreak.
According to reports, almost 200 cases of kidney disease had been diagnosed and over 50 people had died of kidney failure since 2010 in the villages.