HAILAKANDI, Sept 13 � People are falling ill after receiving anonymous calls from unknown numbers on mobile phones and it has led to panic among the people, mostly in the rural areas of the Barak valley, said a senior police official. On the other hand, there was no specific explanation from medical experts.
It may be mentioned here that panic has been created among the people in various places of the Barak valley after there were reports of sickness after receiving calls from unknown numbers. People have also received an SMS which read like this �Please don�t attend any calls from 788308001, 9316048121, 9876266211, 9888854137, and 9876715587. These nos. come in red colour and you may get brain haemorrhage due to high frequency�.�
A BSNL official said that it is not scientifically proved that the people are falling ill and getting brain haemorrhage after the receipt of the call from the unknown numbers. This seems to be a rumour and he urged the people to ignore it. The general manager of BSNL�s Silchar Divison has also published a clarification in this regard in the local newspapers of Silchar.
A section of people hold the view that this has probably been done by the other networks to sabotage the BSNL. Most of the people of the Barak Valley termed it as fake and not based on any scientific reason.
On the other hand, a 17-year-old college student, Mani Ravidas of Bhubandor Tea Estate of Cachar district was admitted to Dhalai hospital on September 8. The father of the girl, Ganesh Ravidas told the hospital authorities that she felt like an electric shock when she received the call from 8880190621 on her Nokia 1110 handset and fell down. The incharge of the hospital informed that they are observing the condition of the girl and said that she might have fallen ill for other reasons also.
World Nutrition Week observed: Under the auspices of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), the World Nutrition Week was observed in Hailakandi. The district media expert of NRHM in Hailakandi, Sudipta Paul informed that the purpose of observing the nutrition week is to create awareness for consumption of iron rich and nutritious food and create an anaemia-free Assam. The entire campaign emphasised on promoting the behaviour of consumption of iron and folic acid tablets regularly and completely by the pregnant women. A minimum of 100 iron tablets should be taken by woman during pregnancy. These iron tablets are supplied by the Government of Assam free of cost and are available with ASHAs and ANMs of the village.
Prior to the week, various preparatory and awareness activities such as ASHA workshops, training and street plays among schools were initiated in August. Ten schools were selected for conducting street plays on anaemia particularly for the girl students of the schools, Paul added. The DME further informed that the principals and teachers of these schools appreciated the initiative of the NRHM for creating awareness among students on anaemia and iron- rich food. According to her, the teachers felt that this is a new subject and there is need to create awareness among students. In fact they agreed that this subject is not much known among residents of the town also. During the observance of week, block level awareness rallies were conducted by ASHA workers.
It may be mentioned here that anaemia is one of the major reasons of maternal mortality rate in Assam. Maternal mortality rate in Assam is 480 per lakh a year. An anaemia-free Assam can be created only by increasing consumption of iron-folic acid (IFA) tablets among pregnant women. Iron rich diet is must for the adolescent girls as today�s adolescent girl is tomorrow�s healthy mother.
