The Hindu : Karnataka / Mysore News : Water contamination claims one life; 64 ill

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 19, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Mysore

Water contamination claims one life; 64 ill

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE, JULY 18. The recent outbreak of gastroenteritis, typhoid and diarrhoea in a locality of the city has been attributed to the contamination of drinking water.

The Dr. Ajay Memorial Drinking Water Foundation, Mysore, carried out a clinical test of the drinking water supplied to the residents of Bogadi II stage recently.

According to A. Ramalingam, president of the Foundation, contamination of water through a leaking valve in the pipeline was responsible for the outbreak of the diseases.

A house-to-house survey, collection of water samples and examination of water supply and sewerage system was taken up by the Foundation on July 16 and 17 after Janahita, a local social group, approached it.

Sharing the outcome of the investigation with reporters, Dr. Ramalingam said that rotting garbage had been dumped near a leaking valve chamber, two feet below the ground level, in the area. The heavy rains on the evening of July 9 flooded the garbage to the leaking valve chamber, he said.

This added water containing high loads of pathogenic bacteria had entered the pipeline through the leaking valve resulting in contamination.

"Water was found to be contaminated up to 300 metres from the source," he said.

The investigation showed that of 64 persons residing in 47 houses in the locality suffered from ailments caused by drinking contaminated water.

But the Foundation estimated that 411 people out of the 1,500 residing in the area had been affected.

The 64 persons showing symptoms of water-borne diseases include 25 children.

"One person, Kariappa (75), residing in the locality succumbed to gastroenteritis on July 13," Dr. Ramalingam said adding he died within 10 hours after showing symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting.

One-and-half-year-old Shashank had been admitted to Cheluvamba Hospital in the City. He is still undergoing treatment, Dr. Ramalingam added.

The affected persons included six foreign students from Kenya.

The residents of the area, who had shown symptoms of water-borne diseases, had visited a local doctor for medication while a few of them had consulted gastroenterology experts.

"Most of the affected people continue to be drowsy, inactive and show symptoms of dehydration and irritation in the stomach due to persistent infection," Dr. Ramalingam said.

The study showed that 89.1 per cent of the houses from which water samples had been collected used untreated water for drinking purpose. About 10.9 per cent of households used boiled as well as untreated water.

Aquaguard or copperplate immersion methods were not used in any of the houses for preparing potable water, he said.

Dr. Ramalingam said people of 87.75 per cent of households using untreated water had been infected.

While 6.6 per cent of people residing in houses using boiled and untreated water alternatively suffered from water-borne diseases. "There was no infection in households using filtered or boiled water."

He said that the disease started spreading in the locality on July 9 and continued up to July 16, probably even to this date. "Three cases were reported on July 9, four cases on July 10, seven on July 11, two on July 13, one on July 14, five on July 15 and one on July 16," he said.

After the death of Kariappa on July 13, officials and workers of Mysore City Corporation visited the locality on July 15 and cleared the valve chamber of the garbage.

"People living in the household purchase water by paying its cost. They have every right to protest and take legal action against the callousness of the municipality'', Dr. Ramalingam said.

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