E-Paper
Water samples from Patiala’s Jhill area fail lab test
The Jhill area reported the diarrhoea outbreak last week when 34 persons fell ill and a migrant worker died.
After Patran, the water samples of diarrhoea-hit Jhill area in Patiala city too have failed the potability test. All nine water samples, collected from the affected area, had bacterial contamination, revealed a report from the state Public Health Laboratory in Kharar.
The Jhill area had reported the diarrhoea outbreak last week when 34 persons fell ill and a migrant worker died. “All nine samples of diarrhoea-hit Jhill area have failed the potability test,” said a health official. Yesterday, all the six water samples of Patran town, where 68 people had fallen ill, had failed the lab test.
Health officials said no fresh case was reported from Jhill over the past 24 hours. Dr Divjot Singh, district epidemiologist, said they would again conduct sampling after the Patiala Municipal Corporation (MC) takes corrective measures. The MC is responsible for water supply in the Jhill area.
When asked, MC Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal said the failed water samples were taken from tap of houses in the diarrhoea-hit area, and not from the source — submersible pump. “There were illegal water connections which have been disconnected. Besides, we also have laid new water pipes. We will restore the water supply in the affected areas of Jhill once water samples pass the potability test,” he said.
There were 17 illegal water connections in diarrhoea-hit areas which might have caused mixing of sewage with drinking water, he added.
In 2022, the Jhill area had reported over 280 diarrhoea cases and the MC had to stop the water supply from the overhead water tank after dead birds were found in it.
Keeping in view the diarrhoea threat, the district administration is preparing a standard-operating procedure to tackle such a situation in future.
