No contamination in supplied water: Chief Engineer Jal Shakti
100 cases reported, situation under control: Officials
Srinagar, July 31: Residents of Kewa and Trial villages in Anantnag district, who recently experienced a gastroenteritis outbreak, have attributed the spread of the disease to contaminated water. The outbreak, triggered by an intense heat wave, has affected around 100 people over the past ten days.
Locals reported that chlorine was only used after the outbreak had begun. They claimed that gastroenteritis cases are reported annually but that the Jal Shakti Department did not take precautionary measures before the outbreak. Concerns were raised when water test results were not made public, prompting demands for transparency from the department.
Riyaz Ahmad, a resident of Kewa village said since the outbreak was reported, people stopped using drinking water supplied through tank of the Jal Shakti Department.
“We are scared to use the drinking water supplied from the tank, we fear that there might be contamination in the water. We appeal to the Jal Shakti Department to show the water test reports and clear the confusion among people,” he said.
As per residents, the Jal Shakti Department did not use the chlorine before the outbreak but after the outbreak when the people were affected by the disease.
“The most common way to develop viral gastroenteritis is through contact with an infected person or by consuming contaminated food or water. In infants, adults and people with compromised immune systems, viral gastroenteritis can be deadly,” they said.
Dr Mir Mushtaq, Spokesperson DHSK said that more than 100 cases of mild to moderate gastroenteritis were in the two areas while no deaths were reported.
“There were two outbreaks in Anantnag district. The teams were rushed to control it and surveillance was conducted for the management of the disease outbreak,” he said.
He said the situation is under control and they have utilized all the available resources to control it and awareness campaigns were conducted aware people about the disease.
Chief Engineer, Jal Shakti Department, Kashmir, ErVivekKohli said that the water samples that were taken from the water source and from departmental tapes were tested and have shown no contamination. “However, there is a local well which is also a source of water and there was contamination,” he said.
Amid the heat wave, he said they have advised concerned officials to ensure use of chlorine and they are cleaning water tanks and plugging leakages to ensure there is no contamination.
Regarding lack of water filtration plants in many areas of Kashmir, Kohli said wherever the water quality is not up to the mark they have proposed water filtration plants.
“All those proposed water filtration plants are under execution and they will be completed on the given target and will ensure that people get safe drinking water,” he said.
The CE said over the years, there has been a lot of change and they have given water testing kits in Panchayats and people have been trained how to do the tests under JJM.
He also said the department has sample collectors and takes the samples on a regular basis in different areas and gets it analysed in district or sub-divisional testing labs.
