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Drinking water polluted by sewage, says Minister

By Our Staff Correspondent

BHOPAL, FEB. 10. The Madhya Pradesh Minister for Local Administration, Development and Tourism, Jayant Malaiya, today admitted in the Assembly that drinking water was recently being polluted by sewage in a Bhopal colony, where more than 100 cases of jaundice were also detected. The Minister was replying to a calling attention notice by the former Minister for Tourism and Culture, Ajay Singh. It was Mr. Singh's contention that people in many residential areas here were suffering from jaundice and there was widespread fear on this count.

He said that three persons had died of jaundice in Bairagarh and entire families were suffering from this disease in Bag Mughalia.

Mr. Malaiya conceded that three persons had died in Bairagarh, as reported in newspapers, but refuted the charge that these deaths had been caused due to jaundice. Mr. Mailaya said that the Bairagarh residents were being supplied water from the Upper Lake and tests on samples of water collected from this area showed that the water was fit for drinking.

The Minister however admitted that 120 patients at Bag Mugalia extension were treated for symptoms of jaundice.

The Bag Mugalia housing scheme was developed by the State Housing Board in 2000-2001, he said and informed the House that on inspection it was found that water polluted by sewage was being supplied to residents in this area.

He told members that all leaking pipelines were being replaced following an agreement with the Asian Development Bank.

The discussion was concluded with Mr. Singh advising that a plan should be made to supply drinking water to all the residential colonies of Bhopal either from Narmada or the Kolar reservoir.

The lakes and other water bodies in the city could be conserved by the Lake Conservation Authority or some other agency, he said adding that only one agency should be entrusted with the responsibility of supplying drinking water in the city.

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