15 teams formed to check cholera threat

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 26

After reports of deaths due to cholera in Hoshiarpur district, health officials in the city have intensified the vigil, constituting 15 teams to keep a check on the situation. Officials said the city had been divided into 15 zones with every team entrusted with the task to visit the area given to them daily. “The teams are filing reports daily. So far, we have not received any report of cholera, malaria, dengue and swine flu,” said the District Epidemiologist, Dr Madan Mohan. He said the department was ready to deal with any situation.

Experts say the main cause of cholera is consumption of contaminated water. There have been reports of sewage getting mixed with potable water that is being supplied to a few areas. Recently, residents of Guru Arjan Dev Nagar had complained that foul smelling blackish water was being supplied to their homes.

Old pipes of sewage and water supply with leakages often result in the mixing of water. An official of the Municipal Corporation said, “Pipes of water and sewage run parallel in close proximity. Sometimes leakages due to damaged pipes make the water contaminated.” A health official said, “No sooner we receive reports of contaminated water supply in residential areas, samples are collected and MC officials are asked to take corrective measures.”

Dr Madan Mohan said, “We had collected water samples from localities near Jallianwala Bagh around two months ago. Later, the MC was asked to check the problem. The MC did inform us about the corrective measures taken by them.”

Officials have also appealed to people to take proper precautions and avoid eating unhygienic food from eateries in unclean surroundings.