Gutligund (Anantnag), Jan 28: On Tuesday morning, a water tanker was on standby, supplying drinking water to Gutligund village, located just a kilometer from the famous Mughal Garden Verinag in Anantnag. A medical team was also on the ground, distributing tablets to residents and guiding them on proper usage.
Nazir Ahmad, a local resident, received the tablets and was instructed by a health worker to dissolve them in boiled water before consumption. This unusual scene unfolded after a significant number of people, especially children, fell ill. Officials confirmed that 27 cases of jaundice were detected, with residents alleging that contaminated water supplied to the village caused the outbreak.
Majid Ahmad, a resident of Gutligund village, said that for the last 4-5 weeks, they have been experiencing cases of jaundice, mainly affecting young children. He said that on Tuesday, there were 6-7 active cases, and 27 have been diagnosed so far of jaundice.
“A medical team visited the village on Monday. They have taken samples, but the report is yet to come regarding the cause. But, jaundice is a water-borne disease and the drinking water source in our village is attached to an open spring where a lift scheme was established and that is contaminated,” Ahmad said.
He said that the water is pumped directly from the source, and the Jal Shakti department has neglected cleanliness, which has contributed to the disease’s spread.
“The reservoir that would cater to whole village has not been constructed. Reservoirs can be cleaned by purposes with chlorine. The water is directly lifted from the pond, which is a cause of disease. We had requested the department to construct a reservoir, but no attention has been paid. Even the Jal Jeevan Mission, sanctioned for our village, remains non-functional,” he added.
Zulufquar Majeed, Community Health Officer, said that there were 27 cases till Monday evening but no new cases were reported on Tuesday. He said that coordinated efforts by the health department, Jal Shakti, police, and Rural Development Department (RDD) have helped contain the situation.
“These cases are decreasing because of the collective response. The primary source is contaminated water. The local source is very polluted, which we observed firsthand. Following this, the PHE department worked on chlorination and other measures,” he said. He also said that the RDD is conducting a cleanliness campaign in the village, and the situation is now under control.
“The samples we sent, including water and blood samples, have shown improvement. Things are under control, and no new cases have been reported,” Majeed added.
Irshad Ahmad, Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) of Jal Shakti, said that their department runs several schemes involving the Vyatastha Spring, which supplies water to multiple villages. The department routinely tests the spring, sometimes every 10 to 15 days, following established parameters.
“We test 13 parameters to check and it is done in our subdivision lab. On Monday, after receiving a notice from the Chief Medical Officer’s office about jaundice cases in the lower pocket of Gutligund, we collected samples from the source, households, and service reservoirs. The physical parameters were within range, and the ecological analysis showed no significant issues,” he said.
AEE added that the demand for cleaning the source is being addressed. “My team is on the job. We are conducting extensive testing and cleaning the collection sump and the service reservoir sump. A water tanker is also available for the village. It will take a day or two to complete the cleaning process. There is no need to panic as we are closely monitoring the situation,” he assured.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, Syeed Fakhrudin Hamid, visited Gutligund village on Tuesday to address the grievances of the residents. He assured them that their concerns would be thoroughly examined and urged the villagers to maintain cleanliness in their surroundings.
