Ganderbal, June 11: The Health Department has swiftly responded to an outbreak of diarrhoea in the Rayil area of Gund, located in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, by deploying teams to investigate the situation.
Medical Officer Block Kangan Dr. Shazia told Rising Kashmir that a medical team visited Syed Jaffar Public School in Rayil Gund, where most of the children have been affected by the waterborne disease. “We have advised the school children to take precautions until the water is declared safe.”
The intervention comes after numerous complaints from residents reporting diarrhoea and fever following the consumption of water from a local tank.
In conjunction with the health department’s efforts, the Jal Shakti Department in Ganderbal has also taken proactive measures.
Samiuallah Beigh, Executive Engineer of the department, said that water samples from Rayil Filtration Plant have been collected for thorough testing. “The water appears almost clear, but we have sent these samples to the central lab for further analysis,” Beigh stated. He added that the department has already deployed a water tanker in the affected area.
The local community, particularly residents of New Colony Gund, Lal Pati and Rayil, has been significantly impacted by this outbreak, prompting urgent attention from the authorities. The deployment of health teams and the testing of water samples are initial steps in addressing the potential contamination and preventing further spread of illness.
Locals have urged the authorities to take proactive measures to ensure a fresh and clean drinking water supply ahead of Eid ul-Azha.
They also demanded the deployment of water tankers to New Colony Gund, Kullo Mohallah, and Lal Pati Gund, as panic gripped these areas following the consumption of contaminated water.
ADDC Ganderbal Mushtaq Ahmad Simnani told Rising Kashmir that he will definitely look into the matter. “I will talk to both the Health and Jal Shakti Departments,” he assured.
He appealed to people not to panic and promised proactive measures to ensure a fresh water supply to the affected places.
