Bandipora, Aug 6: Water borne diseases have broken out in Ajas Block of North Kashmir’s Bandipora, leaving scores of people sick and scores suffering from jaundice and typhoid.
The local residents of Ajas alleged that they are forced to drink highly contaminated water supplied to their homes by PHE. “The water that is being supplied to us is unhygienic and is not going through any kind of filtration process at the nearby filtration plant,” locals told news agency KNT.
They alleged that there have been so many incidents in the past too in which a number of villages were affected and villagers felt sick. “The water has a foul smell and at times insects are visible in it. Within just a few days, more than 100 people have been severely infected. We have approached the concerned PHE Department for many times to look into the matter but nothing like has been done yet,” said Abdul Ahmed, a resident of Ajas alleging that the concerned PHE JE cares a fig for what is happening on the ground.
Locals believe that a dead dog was found in the filtration plant some days ago. They say the PHE employees don’t take care of the filtration plant as they should.
“It’s all because of this contaminated water that we consume. Nobody listens as there is no accountability,” said Ajaz Ahmed.
When contacted, a PHE official Ubaidullah said that he is busy and can’t comment over the issue.
A medico said that from past some days at least 150 people complained of fever, typhoid and Jaundice. “We examined them and found over 30 people who are infected and are being treated,” he said.
Chief Medical Officer, Bandipora, Dr Bashir Ahmed told KNT that a meeting chaired by Deputy Commissioner Bandipora was called recently to discuss this matter.
“After cases of Febrile illness, we dispatched a team to ascertain the facts. From the past 10 days, 573 patients have been registered at NTPHC Ajas and out of them 70 patients were fever related and 8 of them were Widal Positive. People have become habitual of conducting Widal Tests at private clinics of their own without the advice of doctors. Water samples from the spring and water supply scheme have been taken for microbiological analysis,” he said, adding that medical employees posted at NTPHC Ajas have been directed to keep a strict vigil on the prevailing situation. (KNT)
