Polasara: More than 20 people here in Ganjam district were admitted to the local community health centre Saturday after they suffered from diarrhoea. Contaminated water supplied by the public health department has caused the disease, relatives of the patients alleged.
Some of them even went on to lodge a complaint with assistant engineer Ramesh Chandra Panda of the department over the issue.
Panda, however, refuted the charge saying consumption of stale food could be a reason behind the spread of the disease. CHC medical officer Dr Rabi Narayan Das said the exact reason would be known only after an examination of the water.
Meanwhile, on being directed by the chief district medical officer (CDMO), a four-member team from MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur reached the CHC to examine the matter.
The team is learnt to have found the water supplied by the department contaminated. The members said there is need to disinfect the water properly by adding bleaching power to it which seems to be lacking in the case.
As it came to light that there was negligence on the part of the PH department, locals warned of a mass demonstration if the department continues to supply contaminated water to households.
Some of the patients admitted to the hospital were identified as Shantilata Behera, Sushila Jena, Shatrughan Nahak, Bhagban Mohanty, Mantu Singh, Sarojini Pradhan, Sashi Biswal, Adarsh Bisoyi and Jagannath Gouda.
The condition of several others is stable and many of them have been sent to home, hospital authorities said. PNN
