Potable water continues to elude Doon residents

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 12

Pure drinking water continues to elude residents of Dehradun. Most of the people are drinking polluted water, which either has excess of residual chlorine or total fecal coliform.

As part of a water testing exercise in Derhadun, the Society of Pollution and Environmental Conservation Scientists (SPECS) conducted a campaign from May 5 to June 5 in all of Dehradun’s 60 wards, including the VIP area and some of the slums, to test potable water. Out of the 60 wards, it was only in the new Cantt Road and Nehru Colony areas that water quality was found up to the mark.

SPECS secretary Dr Brij Mohan Sharma, releasing the findings, said the study revealed seriously alarming information. Water in most of the places was not fit for drinking because it either had excessive residual chlorine or total fecal coliform.

Even the quality of water being received in VVIP areas was very poor. Excessive chlorination was even found in water samples taken from residences of ministers, including Finance Minister Indira Hridayesh, Sports Minister Dinesh Agarwal, Tehri MP Maharani Vijaylakshmi and opposition leaders BS Koshiyari and Ganesh Joshi, Dr Sharma said.

He added chlorinated water could lead to acidity and other problems and the water was also deprived of micronutrients.

“When fecal coliform bacteria are found in raw water, the scientific process involved requires that the chemist calculates the dose of chlorination and assures that not more than 0.2 milligram per litre chlorine reaches the consumer. However, the local water supplying agency doesn’t seem overly concerned by the lethal outcome of not maintaining the critical amount,” Dr Sharma said. Similarly, presence of fecal coliform could cause diarrhea, stomach ache, gastroenteritis and jaundice. It could be especially fatal for infants and aged people.

Dr Sharma said SPECS had been analysing water quality since 1998. “From 1998 onwards, we observed the water quality become noticeably poorer and poorer. It is my observation that every summer, people need more water but the Water Supply Department has been both inefficient and corrupt”. He said the report would also be sent to the state government and the Chief Minister’s office.

“Every resident of Dehradun is entitled to potable water, but the government seems unable to step up to the job that it was specially elected to do. It is imperative that action takes place before we run the risk of falling sick,” Dr Sharma added.