Times of India
2, March 2010
Pune, India

KCB admits to contamination of water supply, takes steps
The health department of the Khadki Cantonment Board (KCB) has shockingly admitted that there has been a spurt in occurrence of typhoid cases in February due to contamination of the water supply lines by domestic waste. “The supply had been infiltrated by domestic waste from drainage lines,” Lt Col Rakhi Dhawan, assistant health officer, said.

The Board has now initiated measures, including testing of water samples, replacing pipelines passing through drains and repairing drainage chambers that were causing the water contamination. It has also appealed to the residents of areas receiving the contaminated supply to boil water before drinking for the next 15 to 20 days.

S C Kaushik, chief executive officer (CEO), said there is adequate stock of medicines to treat typhoid patients. “The resident medical officer (RMO) of the Babasaheb Ambedkar Cantonment General Hospital has been given instructions and powers to purchase medicines on an emergency basis if needed,” he added.

Lt Col Rakhi Dhawan, assistant health officer, stated, “In February, the number of typhoid cases began to rise, particularly in the last week. There are 14 typhoid patients currently undergoing treatment at the cantonment hospital. We have seized the handcarts of 10 vendors selling cut fruits. There is no need to panic as we are taking steps to reduce the occurrence of the disease.”

Santosh Gaikwad, junior engineer, water supply department, Pune Municipal Corporation, said, “We had received complaints of contaminated water supply from the residents of Darji Galli. So we cut off the supply to the area and started repairing the drainage chambers. We found as many as 20 water connections that were passing through the drains, which were then cut off. We have also cleaned up the pipes.”

Gaikwad claimed that the problem of contaminated water supply to the residents of Darji Galli has nearly been solved. “We have requested the cantonment officials to inform us about unauthorised water connections and requested them to conduct joint action against the same.”

He said supply of super chlorinated water to the affected areas has also begun. “We have tested and found that there is no contamination of water in the Khadki bazaar water tank or in the water supplied to the bazaar area. The water contamination has occurred in a few pockets and steps are being taken to solve it.”