Vij raises stink over sectt water tanks

Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 4

Health Minister Anil Vij today literally lifted the lid off “contaminated water” being consumed by everybody down from Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar at the Haryana Civil secretariat as he went on a tank-checking spree on the building’s terrace. Vij said he would write to Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, also the UT Administrator, seeking action against the officials responsible for the maintenance of these water tanks.

“The overhead tanks supplying water to the entire building have not been cleaned and there is silt, algae and rust in the water which is being consumed by the CM, ministers, Chief Secretary, all officers and employees and even visiting public. The officials responsible for this must be brought to book though an SDO of the UT Administration, present during the checking, said tenders for the cleaning of tanks would be issued on priority,” Vij said. Vij said he would forward a detailed report of his findings to the UT Administrator. Officials of the Haryana Public Health Department were also present during the checking.

Vij checked four of the over 24 overhead tanks and clicked photographs before “pronouncing” his verdict—the water was unfit for consumption. He even asked his staff to take a sample and test it in a lab to ascertain the level of contamination.

“We have taken a water sample and will test it in our own lab. Though I know the findings are not legally valid, I still want it tested. In the monsoon season when contaminated water can cause an epidemic, the seat of governance seems oblivious of the danger and indifferent to the necessity for clean water supply,“ Vij said.

The minister stated that this idea struck him when the Health Department issued directives to the districts for proper treatment of water including chlorination to ensure clean drinking water. “When we are insisting that the directives to ensure clean water supply be followed in letter and spirit and recommending strict action against officials guilty of negligence, I thought it is only fair to check the water being supplied in the secretariat,” he stated.

While expressing his serious concern over the neglect of drinking water tanks, the Health Minister said contaminated water was the main cause of diarrhoea,adding that the UT Administration was responsible for maintenance of these water tanks.