KMC to collect water samples in bid to solve diarrhoea riddle

Kolkata: Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will once again take samples of water from some important zones in Baghajatin to find out the real cause behind the spread of diarrhoea.

Water samples will be taken from the pressure points, check valves and production points and sent to the School of Tropical Medicine (STM) for examination. Though the outbreak of diarrhoea was reported from wards 101, 102 and 110 in Jadavpur, the civic authorities are yet to pinpoint the real cause behind the spread of the disease.

Senior officials of KMC who visited the patients, said that the chance of sewer water getting mixed with drinking water is slim as repeated tests have been conducted regarding the issue.

Atin Ghosh, Member, Mayor-in-Council (Health), who visited Baghajatin State General Hospital, said that Kolkata is not a planned city and work on underground utility services is carried out regularly. Some agencies who have caused damaged to underground pipes do not always inform KMC. However, KMC has left no stones unturned to find out the cause, he maintained.

Around 173 people visited the six health centres on Tuesday, after they complained of stomach ache, headache and nausea. Forty two people were admitted to Baghajatin State General Hospital on Tuesday and out of them, 20 women and 12 men were released after treatment. Ten people have been admitted.

Dr Ajay Chakraborty, director of state Medical Services, said besides STM, water samples are also being sent to National Institute for Cholera and Enteric Disease. He advised people to boil water and use halogen tablets as a precautionary measure.