Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, January 20
City Mayor Asha Jaswal has ordered a probe into the water contamination in Sector 18-C.
A fault was detected in the water supply line in Sector 18-C by MC officials late this evening and repaired.
The Mayor also visited Sector 18-C today, which falls in Ward No. 17, represented by her, to take stock of the water problem and meet patients, who got infected during the past three days.
The Mayor, along with a team of senior officers of the MC’s public health division, reached Sector 18 this afternoon. She ordered the officers concerned to lift water samples and get these checked at the earliest.
She also visited local residents and called teams of doctors from the GMSH, Sector 16, and provided medical help to the affected citizens.
Foreign particles entered leaking water line
According to MC officials, the fault was detected at the dead end of a water supply line behind Shiv Misthan Bhandar, Sector 18-C. A senior MC official said there was leakage in the line and due to it, foreign particles entered the line and got mixed with the drinking water, which reached the houses. The fault had been detected and repaired, he said.
How it all started
At 8.30 pm on January 18, area residents informed the area Junior Engineer regarding smell in the drinking water. The next day, MC officials contacted residents at 6.30 am. They informed senior officials about the contaminated water and immediately water tankers were arranged for the area. Initially, MC officials observed that there was a blockage in a sewer line and a manhole. The MC staff arranged machines and cleaned the manhole and the sewer line. As people continued to complain about water contamination, the MC checked all water supply lines of the affected area on Friday and detected the fault and repaired it.
Mineral water bottles distributed: Mayor
The MC has started supplying water through tankers in the area. Mineral water bottles are also distributed among the affected people. I have ordered a probe into the water contamination and asked MC and health officials to inspect each and every house and ensure the supply of safe drinking water. — Asha Jaswal, Mayor
The MC has detected a fault in Sector 18-C and repaired it. Water samples have been sent for testing to a laboratory at the Sector 39 waterworks. There was no mixing of sewage water. The water supply has been restored and there is no need to panic. — NP Sharma, MC Chief Engineer
Area residents started facing problems on January 18 night. My daughter also had a stomach problem. The issue was highlighted before the Mayor and MC officials, who sent teams to solve the problem. — Sanjay Puri, a resident of Sector 18-C