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Toilet crisis aggravates woes of tsunami-hit east
By Frances Bulathsinghala
The sanitary situation in the East is grim, according to residents, but government officials say the situation is 'under control'. "There are no toilets. It is only now that we were told that toilets will be constructed soon," a displaced person living in an Ampara camp said. But Government Agent Herath Abeyweera denied the allegation.

"I am not aware of any grave problems," the GA said. Ampara SSP Ananda Levangama and the Deputy Heath Director A L. M Nasir, however, said that the sanitary situation was poor and toilets were a major problem.

SSP Levangama said about 60 temporary toilets were constructed in Kalmunai on Friday and more were being built in other areas in the district. District Secretariat officials said moves were under way to construct one toilet per every 25 families. But residents said it was the NGOs that were building some toilets and the government had failed to look into this problem.

The Ampara district, which is fully under the control of the government, gets regular relief supplies, military sources said adding that some LTTE-controlled pockets in Batticaloa were also receiving adequate food.

Meanwhile, doctors in the north and east have succeeded in curbing the spread of chicken pox in refugee camps. "About eight cases were reported from Kalmunai and we have isolated them", Dr. Nasir said adding that cases of dysentery had also been reported.

"The situation here is pathetic. We are getting enough food but the sanitation aspect has been overlooked. Skin diseases are rampant and many do not seek treatment unless they are severely affected. The sanitation facilities especially for women is very poor," said Kalmunai journalist K. Kunarasa, who himself was badly affected by the disaster.

Batticaloa Bishop Kingsley Swampillai said that the hygienic situation had become worse as several cesspits had also been dug out by the force of the tsunami.

The displaced people also express fears that they would be evicted from schools which have become their temporary shelters. "We are told alternate shelters would be provided. But we feel that this will not be enough to solve the shelter problem," a displaced person said.

Batticaloa District Secretariat officials said they had made an assessment of the health issue and decided to build 693 toilets with the help of some NGOs. In the Batticaloa district, more than 17,500 families are living in camps while in Ampara district more than 104,000 families are living in refugee camps.

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