Madhya Pradesh State PCS

• 17 Jun 2024

Cholera Outbreak

Why in News?

Recently, Panic spread through Phoop town in Bhind district due to a sudden cholera outbreak, resulting in the deaths of three individuals and the illness of around 70 others who drank contaminated water.

Key Points

• The residents of the area fell prey to cholera infection after drinking contaminated water supplied through the pipeline.
• According to the sources, the sewage water entered the drinking water supply pipeline due to ongoing civil work in the area. The water turned highly contaminated with bad odour.
• The District Magistrate stated that the situation was under control and the condition of the patients was stable. 
  • The pipeline leakages have been fixed, and clean/fresh water is now being supplied to the three wards. 
  • A team of doctors has also been deployed to monitor the situation, including water testing.

Cholera

• About:
  • Cholera, a water-borne disease primarily caused by the bacteria Vibrio cholerae strains O1 and O139, poses a significant public health challenge worldwide.
    • Strain O1 is the predominant cause of outbreaks, with O139 occurrences being rare and mostly confined to Asia.
  • It is an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine.
  • The infection is often mild or without symptoms, but sometimes can be severe.
• Symptoms:
  • Profuse watery diarrhoea, Vomiting, Leg cramps
• Transmission:
  • A person may get cholera by drinking water or eating food contaminated with the cholera bacterium.
  • The disease can spread rapidly in areas with inadequate treatment of sewage and drinking water.
• Vaccine:
  • Currently there are three WHO pre-qualified Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCV), Dukoral, Shanchol, and Euvichol-Plus. All three vaccines require two doses for full protection.

Madhya Pradesh's New Intra-State Air Service

Why in News?

Recently, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister launched intra-state air service named 'PM Shri Paryatan Vayu Seva' by flagging off the first flight under it from Bhopal to Jabalpur. 

Key Points

• In Madhya Pradesh, the cities of Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Ujjain, Rewa, Khajuraho, and Singrauli will soon be linked by air travel. 
• As per officials, to enhance the air connectivity, a 50% discount on fares will be offered for a period of 30 days.
• Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board (MPTB) will manage the air service. The service is being operated through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) with M/s Jet Serv Aviation Private Limited (Flyola).

Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Model

• PPP is an arrangement between government and private sector for the provision of public assets and/or public services. Public-private partnerships allow large-scale government projects, such as roads, bridges, or hospitals, to be completed with private funding.
• In this type of partnership, investments are undertaken by the private sector entity, for a specified period of time.
• These partnerships work well when private sector technology and innovation combine with public sector incentives to complete work on time and within budget.
• As PPP involves full retention of responsibility by the government for providing the services, it doesn’t amount to privatization.
• There is a well defined allocation of risk between the private sector and the public entity.
• Private entity is chosen on the basis of open competitive bidding and receives performance linked payments.
• The PPP route can be an alternative in developing countries where governments face various constraints on borrowing money for important projects.
• It can also give required expertise in planning or executing large projects.