Puri: Diarrhoea has claimed four lives in Kanas block of Puri district allegedly spread by contaminated drinking water, a source said Tuesday.
The number of residents complaining of vomiting and diarrhoea is increasing with time at Jagulaipadar village in Gadisagoda panchayat under Kanas block, the source added.
District officials have visited the affected villages, provided medicines and advised people not to use the Daya river water. The district administration has also started distributing drinking water through tankers. The death due to diarrhoea would be confirmed after proper investigation, an official said.
Puri Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Rupabhanu Mishra said a joint inspection was carried out in the diarrhoea-affected villages. While discussing their issues the locals said that they are facing drinking water problems and depending on the Daya river, he said.
“The laboratory test of the Daya river water revealed that the water is contaminated and not fit to be used. So, we have advised the people not to use the water from the Daya river,” Mishra said.
Currently, three patients are undergoing treatment in Bhubaneswar hospitals while seven others are under treatment at the Kanas hospital, he said.
A dedicated health team along with an ambulance has been deployed in the diarrhoea-affected area. The health team monitors the situation on a daily basis, said Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain.
Besides, drinking water is being supplied to the people through tankers. It was decided to continue the tanker water supply till the commissioning of the mega drinking water project, which is on the last leg of completion, he said.
Read Also: Truck overturns, crashes into electric pole on NH-55
Meanwhile, locals warned of a mass agitation if the district administration failed to address the issue promptly.
PNN
