Cholera cases have been twice detected among migrant labourers working onboard fishing trawlers at the Cutbona jetty. The first time was last year and the other recently. Cholera, a waterborne disease, proliferates in places that have poor sanitation and hygiene conditions. Contaminated food and water cause cholera leading to acute diarrhoea, dehydration and death within hours. The incidents at Cutbona are wake-up calls to the people and authorities concerning lack of attention to sanitation and health issues. The South Goa Collector highlighted poor hygiene and open defecation near the jetty as a risk for waterborne diseases. But if Goa is supposedly defecation-free since some years, then why the caution? For example, Lok Utsav happens in the campus of Kala Academy and hundreds of vendors stay in close proximity. They have limited access to clean water and the shortage of toilet and bathroom facilities perhaps compel people to relieve themselves and take bath in the open. This could result in an outbreak of diseases such as cholera. During the course of the events, regular checks need to be undertaken to check and maintain proper sanitation and an hygienic environment.
