The Hindu : New Delhi News : NDMC yet to launch drive to check jaundice

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 18, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

NDMC yet to launch drive to check jaundice

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JULY 17. Despite the number of jaundice cases in the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) area crossing 50 already, the civic body is yet to initiate any major drive to check water samples or distribute chlorine tablets in its area. Its efforts so far have been confined only to newspapers advertisements "informing" people of the precautions to be taken to check the spread of jaundice in Lutyens' Delhi.

In the past fortnight, over four dozen cases have been reported from different government hospitals and private clinics in the NDMC area due to consumption of contaminated water. Ironically, cases have also been reported from key locations like Vittalbhai Patel House (which houses Parliamentarians), Kerala House, Dalmia House, Birla House and the residence of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Justice A.S. Anand.

While the NDMC officials have been putting the entire blame for the outbreak on the authorities responsible for the upkeep of these premises, the latter have alleged that the water being supplied by the Council was contaminated. For instance, the NDMC has claimed that jaundice cases in places like Dalmia House and Birla House were due to consumption of water supplied from uncleaned storage tanks or bore wells. "Our surveillance team found that residents in these premises were drinking water stored in unhygienic conditions or unclorinated groundwater," said an NDMC spokesperson.

Another problem that the residents in the NDMC area have been facing is non-availability of chlorine tablets. Sources in the Council said the demand for chlorine tablets was generally high in places that had good number of government colonies or residential flats including Babar Road, Raja Bazar, Gole Market, Mandir Marg, Moti Bagh, Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Nauroji Nagar, Kidwai Nagar and Panchkuian Road.

For its part, the NDMC has stuck to its stand that there was no outbreak of jaundice in its area and the problem was "localised".

Even the tests of water samples conducted by them have proved that their supply was not contaminated, its spokesperson said.

The NDMC team found that underground and overhead tanks were not being cleaned regularly while affected residents were found to be drinking tubewell water not meant for drinking purposes.

The civic body has also warned of penal action against those not found taking proper measures for storing water or using non-potable groundwater.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi