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Study links uneven urbanisation with high risk of cholera outbreaks

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Study links uneven urbanisation with high risk of cholera outbreaks

By Sunderarajan Padmanabhan

Families living in rural areas of districts at higher risk of cholera as funds for water and sanitation infrastructure are diverted to urban areas, say experts

New Delhi: Higher levels of urbanisation are no guarantee for preventing the outbreak of cholera. In fact, a new study by Indian and international experts seems to indicate that higher urbanisation also leads to an increased risk of a cholera epidemic since funds for water and sanitation infrastructure are often allocated disproportionately within an ‘urban’ district, with its rural areas receiving only a pittance.

In other words, the study blames the uneven allocation of funds for water and sanitation infrastructure within districts – urban centres getting more funds than rural areas within a district that is otherwise categorised as ‘urban’. The use of improved sanitation facilities in urban areas in India has increased to 63 per cent as of 2015 while it has gone up to only 28 per cent in rural areas.

“It appears that families living in rural areas of districts with more cities are at higher risk, perhaps because the resources in these districts are allocated to the urban areas, neglecting the rural areas of the district,” the researchers have observed in their study in journal PLOS One.

The study has also found that there seemed to be large scale underreporting of cholera cases. There is significant variation between actual number of cases being reported and ground reality based on the various risk factors. For instance, the study says, Uttar Pradesh did not report any case despite having areas that qualified as ‘high risk’ zones. The reasons for underreporting are limited disease surveillance, inadequate laboratory capacity especially at the peripheral health care centres, and reluctance on part of authorities to acknowledge the problem for fear of societal repercussions.

The findings are based on district level data of cases reported between 2010 to 2015 from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, and socioeconomic characteristics and coverage of water and sanitation obtained from the 2011 census report. Researchers used this data to perform spatial analysis to identify cholera hotspots, and employed a modeling method called ‘zero-inflated Poisson regression’ to identify the factors associated with cholera and predicted case counts at district level.

A total of 27,615 cholera cases were reported during the six-year period. As many as 24 out of the 36 states in the country had reported cholera during these years. Of them, 13 States were classified as endemic. In terms of districts, out of the 641 districts in the country, 78 districts in 15 states were identified as “hotspots” based on the reported cases. However, 111 districts in nine states were identified as “hotspots” from model-based predicted number of cases.

Overall, one-fourth of the districts in India reported cholera and 90 districts of them have been identified as hotspots, making cholera is a widespread major public health problem in the country. It is major problem in West Bengal, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, and areas of Himachal Pradesh adjoining Punjab. In addition, most districts in Karnataka have been identified as cholera hotspots. The risk for cholera in a district is linked with poor sanitation and drainage conditions and urbanization level in the district.

The research team included Mohammad Ali and David A.Sack of Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Nirmal K. Ganguly, Sanjukta Sen Gupta, and Nisha Arora of Policy Center for Biomedical Research, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute; Pradeep Khasnobis and Srinivas Venkatesh of National Center for Disease Control; Dipika Sur of Indian Public Health Association; and Gopinath B. Nair of World Health Organization.

(This article is from a syndicated feed provided by the India Science Wire)

India News

Abhishek Banerjee says will not bow to BJP after nearly 11 hours of ED questioning

After spending nearly 11 hours before the Enforcement Directorate, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said he would not bow to the BJP and accused the ruling party of using investigative agencies for political purposes.

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Abhishek Banerjee

Trinamool Congress leader and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday said he would not bow to the BJP after spending nearly 11 hours being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an ongoing investigation.

Speaking after the questioning, Banerjee alleged that central agencies were being used to target opposition leaders and asserted that he would continue his political fight despite what he described as sustained pressure.

The TMC leader has repeatedly maintained that investigations involving him are politically motivated, a charge he has made on several previous occasions while appearing before central agencies.

His appearance before the ED comes amid a period of heightened political activity and multiple investigations involving leaders in West Bengal. Recent days have also seen Banerjee face summons and questioning in separate matters by state investigative agencies.

After leaving the ED office, Banerjee reiterated that he would not be intimidated and said he remained committed to his political responsibilities. He also accused the BJP of attempting to weaken opposition parties through investigative action, an allegation that the BJP has rejected in the past.

The Enforcement Directorate has not publicly commented on Banerjee’s remarks. The investigation related to the questioning remains ongoing.

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India News

DMK attacks Rahul Gandhi, accuses him of weakening opposition unity

DMK has intensified its criticism of Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the Congress leader’s actions have weakened opposition unity and strained relations within the INDIA bloc.

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Rahul-Gandhi

The war of words between the DMK and Congress has intensified, with the DMK launching a strong attack on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and accusing him of contributing to divisions within the opposition alliance. The criticism comes amid strained ties between the two parties following their political split in Tamil Nadu.

According to the DMK, Rahul Gandhi’s political approach has weakened unity among opposition parties. The party’s IT wing mocked the Congress leader on social media, while an editorial published in the DMK’s official mouthpiece Murasoli questioned his recent remarks on opposition solidarity.

DMK questions Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on opposition unity

In its editorial, Murasoli argued that Rahul Gandhi was speaking about opposition unity despite, according to the DMK, contributing to disagreements among alliance partners in several states. The publication cited criticism directed at Congress by various opposition parties and suggested that the party’s actions had often created tensions within the INDIA bloc.

The editorial also referred to past political disputes involving Congress and Left parties, particularly in Kerala, claiming such episodes had raised concerns among opposition allies about Congress’s approach toward its partners.

Tamil Nadu political fallout adds to tensions

The attack comes after a major political realignment in Tamil Nadu. Following the 2026 Assembly elections, Congress ended its alliance with the DMK and joined the government led by Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The move left the DMK in the opposition and significantly altered the political equation between the two former allies.

The DMK has alleged that Congress benefited from the alliance during the election and later abandoned its partner. The party’s editorial questioned whether assurances from Congress leadership would be trusted by alliance partners after the developments in Tamil Nadu.

Congress rejects allegations

Congress has not issued a detailed official response to the editorial, but party sources have rejected the allegations. According to the party, its decisions in Tamil Nadu were made in line with the mandate delivered by voters and were not intended to undermine either the DMK or the broader opposition alliance.

The latest exchange highlights growing strains between two key opposition parties even as leaders continue to stress cooperation on national issues. Just days earlier, Rahul Gandhi had said that the DMK remained aligned with the opposition on defending the “idea of India” despite political differences.

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Entertainment

Kumkum Bhagya actor Sanchita Ugale dies by suicide near Mumbai at 22

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, died by suicide at her residence near Mumbai. Police have launched an investigation.

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Sanchita Ugale

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for her appearances in Kumkum Bhagya, Wagle Ki Duniya and Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi, died by suicide at her residence in Nalasopara East near Mumbai on June 14. She was 22.

According to police officials, the incident took place at her home in Achole village, Nalasopara East. Authorities said Ugale had locked herself inside her bedroom and was later found hanging from a ceiling fan. Family members and local residents rushed her to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death. Officials said inquiries are underway and the exact reason behind the incident has not yet been established.

Career across television, OTT and films

Ugale had built a growing presence in the entertainment industry through television, streaming projects and films. Apart from Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, she played a lead role in Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi. She also appeared in OTT projects such as Crime Aaj Kal and Silence 2.

The actor was also associated with the film Chhaava, which contributed to her growing recognition among audiences.

Last social media post draws attention

Following news of her death, social media users shared and commented on Ugale’s final Instagram post, which had been uploaded hours before the incident. The post showed the actor in traditional attire lip-syncing to a classic Bollywood song. Fans expressed shock and grief after learning of her death.

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