President of Hailakandi District Tribal Sangha, Rajendra Reang, has alleged that although gastroenteritis has taken an epidemic form along the Mizoram border area of Hailakandi district, the district administration has taken no effective steps to contain the situation. Reang alleged that already more than 17 persons, including women and children, have lost their lives. Though the State Health Department of Hailakandi has shown some initiative in this aspect, the Joint Director of the department Dr Samir Kumar Das told that he was only aware of the death of four persons due to the disease.