Authorities swing into action at Zirakpur, Dera Bassi

Bipin Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Zirakpur, January 4

After the death of a woman due to cholera in Lohgarh, the native village of Dera Bassi MLA Narinder Kumar Sharma, the health authorities swung into action and dispatched teams to the village. Besides telling villagers to boil water before consumption, chlorine tablets and ORS pouches were also distributed among them.

Though the victim was tested positive for the disease while undergoing treatment for blood cancer at the PGI, Chandigarh, the finding has raised doubts on the purity of water supplied to the village. The detection of this waterborne disease has also raised questions on the cleanliness drive launched by Sharma in Zirakpur after the Prime Minister gave a clarion call for “Swachh Bharat”.

NK Sharma said the woman admitted to the PGI might have caught the infection due to weak immune system.

“I have directed the Senior Medical Officer, Dera Bassi, to examine the villagers and provide them with preventive healthcare,” he said.

The executive officer, Zirakpur Municipal Council, has also been asked to find the cause of water contamination if any, said the MLA.

Dr SK Mittal, SMO, Dera Bassi, said he had not received any fresh case with similar symptoms in the past two days.

“The EO has also been asked to disinfect water accumulated at various places in the village besides chlorinating the sources of drinking water,” the SMO said.

Parminder Singh, EO, said two teams had been sent to detect the leakage in water supply pipes and to identify the source of water contamination.

“No such spot was found. The MC has also collected over 12 water samples from the suspected areas. The samples will be sent to a Chandigarh-based laboratory for tests on Monday,” he said.

Some residents of the village, meanwhile, have complained of experiencing cholera-like symptoms. They said they were taking medicines for loose motions and stomach ache from private chemists.