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{Anaj mandi area} Patiala sees another diarrhoea death, 12 fresh cases reported
A 70-year-old man died and 12 more persons were taken ill in the diarrhoea-hit Anaj Mandi area in Patiala, officials said on Friday.
Patiala
A 70-year-old man died and 12 more persons were taken ill in the diarrhoea-hit Anaj Mandi area in Patiala, officials said on Friday. With this, the number of diarrhoea cases in the area has shot up to 130 in the past four days.
This is the second death due to diarrhoea in Patiala district this year. On July 14, a migrant labourer died in the Jhill area.
Punjab health minister Dr Balbir Singh visited the affected area on Friday and met family members of the 70-year-old victim, a resident New Yadavindra Colony, who died at Rajindra hospital.
The health minister said illegal water connections having hydraulic ram water pumps are the main cause of the diarrhoea outbreak.
“Water supply lines sewerage pipes run adjacent to each other and if there is any leakage, sewage gets mixed into the drinking water leading to diarrhoea outbreak,” Dr Balbir said.
Replying to a query, the health minister said: “Most of the water and sewerage pipes are decades old and have been rusted. We will send a proposal to the department concerned to replace them,” he added.
The chief minister was overseeing the situation, and the chief secretary has been instructed to conduct the regular reviews of the situation, the minister said, adding action was being taken against those responsible for water contamination and efforts are being made to control the situation.
“Routine water sampling is conducted by the municipal corporation. I have directed the MC commissioner to stop water supply if any water sample fails potability test during routine sampling,” said Dr Balbir.
₹25 lakh released for water testing kits
Chandigarh: Chief secretary Anurag Verma on Friday asked deputy commissioners to take necessary steps to check the spread of diarrhoea in some towns of the state.
During the meeting held to review the situation, Verma said: “In case a new sample fails, then the officer responsible for water supply in the area concerned would be strictly proceeded against.”
The health department has released ₹2 lakh for large districts and ₹1 lakh for small districts for the purchase of water testing kits. Principal secretary, water supply and sanitation, said that a total of ₹25 lakh have been released for testing kits.
Chargesheet issued to officials
During the meeting, additional chief secretary, local government, said a chargesheet has been issued to the executive officer, junior engineer, sanitary, and chief sanitary inspectors of Patran in Patiala district. Similarly, the chief secretary has directed the DC, Mohali, to initiate due legal action in the matter of the non-cleaning of water tanks in Kharar.
