Central team for regular water tests for 4 months
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02/09/2010
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Daily Excelsior (Jammu)
By Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 1: Even as the sudden fall has been reported in the number of diarrhoea cases both at Doda and Banihal, the Central team today recommended regular tests of drinking water at consumer points and utmost precaution for next three to four months to prevent recurrence of epidemic.
According to the official figures, only 2 fresh cases of diarrhoea were reported in District Hospital Doda while as in Banihal out of 55 new cases, only three were admitted in the hospital and the remaining were discharged after proper medicare thereby indicating sharp decline in the epidemic affected cases.
Keeping in view the improvement in situation, the district administration Doda today asked the Army authorities to wind up their medical camp in the premises of District Hospital, which were established for the assistance of civil administration in providing timely and proper medicare to the diarrhoea affected people, official sources said.
Meanwhile, the three member Central team concluded the inspection of water resources, water treatment and distribution system in Doda district and recommended some steps to prevent recurrence of the epidemic.
"Since epidemic can recur in immediate future, we have recommended regular water tests both at filtration plant and consumer points and little super chlorination for at least three-four months", Dr C S Aggarwal, a member of Central team said when contacted, adding "since there is no proper laboratory for the water testing purpose, we have asked the district administration to get the same functional at the earliest as supply of contaminated water can result into once again outbreak of the epidemic".
The Central team also offered to provide training to the officials of Public Health Engineering and Health Departments at National Center of Diseases Control (NCDC) under Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in treatment of water, lifting of samples as per laid down procedure and testing of the same.
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Doda, Farooq Ahmed Khan said, "we resumed supply of water from all the resources after initiating steps as recommended by the Central team and I have made it clear to the Public Health Department to provide me details of water tests on regular basis", adding "as far as plugging of the leakages is concerned, the PHE Department has been given a time of 15 days to accomplish the task".
He, however, disclosed that steps in this regard were initiated today in Bharat Road, CMO Office Lane, Nehru Chowk and Akramabad areas.
To a question about the water testing laboratory, Mr Khan said, "the PHE Department will be setting up the same within next two-three days", adding "as recommended by the Central team, utmost precaution would be maintained for next three-four months".
Sources said that Central team would inspect water resources of the Banihal tehsil tomorrow before giving necessary suggestions to the district administration.