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44% water samples from Patiala unfit for drinking
More than 43% water samples, collected by the district health department last year, were found to be unsafe for drinking.
More than 43% water samples, collected by the district health department last year, were found to be unsafe for drinking.
Results of quality tests of the samples show that the residents are at high risk of waterborne diseases, say experts.
According to the district health department, they had collected a total of 448 samples of water from across districts in 2019. Of all these samples, 196 were declared unsafe for drinking, while 252 samples had passed the quality test.
These samples were collected from anganwadi centres, municipal committees, government schools, Punjab water supplies, government offices, private residences, and other areas across Patiala district, which is the home bastion of Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
As per data, territories of municipal committees are worst hit as most failed sample are from the municipal committees’ water supplies.
An official, pleading anonymity, said, “Of the 78 samples collected from water supplies at municipal committees, 63 were found to be unsafe for drinking.”
The official added that the district health department had collected around 115 water samples from government schools in Patiala, and out of these, 33 were listed unfit for drinking. Also, 57 samples out of 144 samples collected from private residences and other areas were declared unsafe.
Similarly, seven of total 50 water samples of government offices, two from total five water samples of anganwari centres, and 34 of total 56 water samples collected of Punjab water supplies had failed the quality test.
A doctor from Government medical College and Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, on condition of anonymity, said that the results are a clear indication that residents of the district are at high risk of waterborne diseases. The situation requires immediate attention of the departments concerned.
Assistant health officer (AHO) Dr Sukhminder Singh said, “We have served notices to the people concerned, where water samples were found to be unsafe for drinking. We have also directed the authorities to make adequate arrangements for potable water to be available to all. If they failed to act on the directions, we will write to the deputy commissioner and recommend strict action against the defaulters.”
