More than 100 people, including several children, in a village near Jaipur took ill after consuming dirty water. According to reports, the condition of about a dozen children, who were admitted to J.K. Lon Hospital after their condition worsened, was serious.
This is the second incident within a fortnight when people have fallen sick after consuming contaminated water. Last month, 12 persons, including 10 children, had died in a government-run care home for mentally-challenged people in Jamdoli. Coincidentally, this area is not far from Jamdoli.
Late on Tuesday night, people who work in a brick kiln near Jeetawala village on Jaipur-Agra highway complained of dysentery and vomiting. They were taken to nearby private hospitals but when their condition deteriorated, they were referred to Jaipur. The hospital administration informed medical and health department officials, after which the chief medical and health officer sent two teams of doctors to the spot who treated more than 100 patients.
On Wednesday, several teams of para medical staff were sent to different areas to take stock of drinking water and sanitation in those areas. “We have sent teams in the area after receiving information about people falling sick. Water samples have been taken but we will be able to ascertain the actual cause of illness only after a report is received,” said CMHO Dr Ravi Prakash Sharma.
The medical teams found that water tanks were not clean. Dr Jitendra, who was heading one of the teams, said that these people were using water from a tubewell and there was filth all around that might have contaminated the underground water. He said that due to dysentery and vomiting, children have been suffering from dehydration.
However, public health engineering department (PHED) has washed its hands off, saying that the department does not supply water to this area. Superintending engineer B.S. Meena said that the labourers store water from the tubewell in tanks which were not cleaned regularly.
Meanwhile, on instructions from the high court, the police have filed a factual report on the death of mentally-challenged people in government-run care homes in Jamdoli. The report said a total of 12 people, including two adults and 10 children, died. The police have registered separate cases in each death and the report of unnatural death was sent to sub division magistrate (SDM), while the visra were sent to FSL. The court has sent the matter to a division bench.
