Gear up to tackle diarrhoea, cholera outbreak: Mohali DC

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Mohali, July 18

The Mohali administration is gearing up to tackle the outbreak of diarrhoea and cholera in the rainy season.

Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain has cautioned the district officials of the outbreak of diarrhoea and cholera as reported in some of the nearby districts and directed them to check drinking water samples, besides ensuring chlorine treatment to prevent its spread.

In a review meeting of the various departments, including Rural Development and Panchayats, Urban Local Bodies, Health, Education, Water Supply and Sanitation, the Deputy Commissioner asked them to remain on alert mode to check the outbreak as well as take preventive measures in rural and urban areas.

The Civil Surgeon was instructed to ensure the sampling of drinking water and if any sample of drinking water fails in the urban/rural area, then the concerned department should be informed about it and the action taken. A report should also be sent to the DC office. She further emphasised that the action taken report must contain the measures taken to prevent the spread of the disease like ensuring the supply of chlorinated drinking water or disconnection of water connection line (in case of cases reported from a particular locality) besides ensuring water supply by alternate way (tanker etc.).

Apart from this, procuring of medicines and other necessary arrangements should be completed for cholera-related cases in the hospital, said the Deputy Commissioner, adding that if such cases are reported in any city/village area, appropriate action should be taken.

The DC instructed the Municipal Corporation, municipal councils, executive engineer water supply division 2 and 3 and block development and panchayat offices to ensure the supply of clean and hygienic chlorinated water to all urban/rural areas. It will be the collective responsibility of the executive engineer (water supply and sanitation), division 3 and the concerned block development and panchayat officer to supply clean drinking water in the rural areas.

She said that all government departments and agencies should ensure 100 per cent testing of samples at their own level. Regular checking should be ensured by the departments in their respective areas. If a leakage is reported in the sewer line, it should be repaired immediately. In areas where cases of cholera come to the fore due to contaminated water, water supply should be stopped and alternative chlorinated water supply should be ensured. Moreover, re-sampling of the water in collaboration with the health department should be ensured.

The DEOs (secondary and elementary) were told to ensure the water tanks constructed in all schools were cleaned in time to prevent such outbreaks. Along with this, all the departments were asked to run an awareness campaign to sensitise the people to the use of safe and hygienic (preferably boiled) drinking water.