While hue and cry is being raised by residents over contamination of groundwater caused due to Buddha Nullah pollution, 14 water samples collected by the district health department from areas in the vicinity of the drain have failed purity test.
As per the information, the samples were collected in the mid of February from New Shivpuri, Upkar Nagar, Jeevan Nagar (Tajpur Road), Fatehgarh Mohalla, Gandhi Nagar and Bhola Colony.
Those were then sent to the state public health laboratory in Kharar near Chandigarh.
The report, which the health department received recently, revealed that the samples were not found potable.
In a letter sent to the Ludhiana municipal corporation (MC), the civil surgeon office has mentioned that the samples were collected in the presence of civic body staff.
The MC has also been asked to chlorinate the water before supplying it to households.
The health department has sought an action-taken report from the civic body in order to forward it to the state department.
One of the health department officials, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “Water samples are collected on regular basis. This is not the first time they failed the purity test. Earlier too, samples taken from even government schools were found impure. Residents in the vicinity of Buddha Nullah as well as outside the MC limits have been complaining about diseases caused due to water contamination.”
{{/usCountry}}One of the health department officials, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “Water samples are collected on regular basis. This is not the first time they failed the purity test. Earlier too, samples taken from even government schools were found impure. Residents in the vicinity of Buddha Nullah as well as outside the MC limits have been complaining about diseases caused due to water contamination.”
{{/usCountry}}MC superintending engineer Ravinder Garg said potable water is being supplied by the civic body to all households.
“Sometimes, there is a leakage in the connection of a particular property due to which contamination takes place,” he claimed.
“Meanwhile, teams have been deployed in the areas which fared poorly in the purity test. Action would be taken against the MC staffers concerned if any anomaly is found on their part,” he added.