Water contamination causes spread of diarrhoea in Gurla mandal

Vizianagaram: Finally, the district administration has identified the cause behind the outbreak of diarrhoea and started taking steps to control the situation in Gurla mandal of Vizianagaram district. The water pipelines are passing through the drains and this has resulted in the contamination of drinking water. Collector and other officials visited Gurla and observed the drinking water scheme at Champavathi river. The State government is taking steps to provide pure drinking water to the locals of Gurla.

According to information, around 160 diarrhoea cases including six new cases on Friday were recorded so far from Gurla mandal headquarters alone. Among them at least 55 people are still undergoing treatment at various hospitals including 24 at special medical camp organised at ZPHS in Gurla. It has been reported that seven have died with diarrhoea symptoms so far.

However, the district officials have said that only one death occurred due to diarrhoea. Panic triggered among the residents of Kella, Gudem, Punapureddy Peta and Goshada villages as the diarrhoea spread to their villages. At least five diarrhoea cases were reported in the villages on Friday.

The outbreak of diarrhoea caused panic among the residents of Gurla mandal. At least 160 people were hospitalised with diarrhoea symptoms after drinking the water supplied by the RWS scheme in Gurla mandal headquarters.

The district administration jumped into action to provide best medical treatment to the victims besides identifying the primary reason for the diarrhoea outbreak. As part of this, they have collected water samples from various water bodies including infiltration well at River Champavathi, borewells and land wells. The primary report confirmed water contamination in the infiltration well at River Champavathi. The officials stopped the supply of water from the infiltration well and conducted super chlorination in the infiltration well as well as the overhead tanks.

Following the spread of diarrhoea, District Collector Dr B R Ambedkar visited Gurla and conducted review meeting with the officials of Panchayat Raj, RWS and Medical and Health departments. Later, he inspected the infiltration well at River Champavathi and directed the officials to conduct the tests regularly.