The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) fact-finding team on Sunday alleged serious lapses in the government’s handling of a severe diarrhoea outbreak in New Rajarajeswari Pet, Vijayawada, where more than 700 cases were said to have been reported in just five days.

The delegation, formed on the directions of party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, visited the affected colonies, interacted with patients, and inspected health camps. It included NTR district YSRCP president Devinenni Avinash, Sattenapalli in-charge Gajjala Sudheer Bhargav Reddy, former MLAs Malladi Vishnu and Monditoka Jaganmohan Rao, Vijayawada Mayor Rayana Bhagyalakshmi, State leader Sheikh Asif, and YSRCP student wing State working president Ravichandra.

According to the leaders, residents showed them bottles of foul-smelling, muddy water supplied to their homes and complained about overflowing drains and filthy tankers that had allegedly not been cleaned for over a year. They maintained that most of the victims were children and argued that while the government officially acknowledges only 270 cases, more than 700 were identified in just two streets. The team accused the coalition government of “total negligence,” citing the absence of ambulances, paediatric doctors at camps, proper case enumeration, and water testing before supply. They contrasted this with YSRCP’s tenure, during which, they said, water testing kits were provided at village secretariats, 40 urban health centres functioned effectively, and 5,000 sanitary workers were deployed. The YSRCP leaders further alleged that the ruling coalition was spreading “false propaganda” by blaming Ganesh immersions and street food vendors for the outbreak, while Ministers remained focused on land deals and commissions under “Vijayawada Utsav.”

The party demanded immediate supply of safe drinking water, free medical care, sanitation drives, and compensation for affected families. They also warned that if corrective action was not taken, the matter would be escalated to the Governor.