Post News Network
Puri, July 5: In what could have turned out to be a health disaster during the world famous car festival at Puri, the district health department Tuesday asked the rural water supply and sanitation (RWSS) department to destroy 10 lakh drinking water pouches procured for distribution among devotees during the Rath Yatra July 6. The health department declared the water pouches unfit for human consumption.
The RWSS department had procured 10 lakh water pouches form a private company for free distribution among devotees. The district administration had asked the health department to examine the quality of the water in the pouches.
“We have asked the RWSS department to destroy the water pouches after we found them unfit for human consumption. These pouches may create health complications,” said chief district medical officer Jagatkrushna Samantray.
Sources in the district administration claimed that the RWSS would face difficulties in destroying the water pouches. “The RWSS department has provided the water pouches to 85 voluntary organisations for distribution among devotees during Rath Yatra. Even, 1.5 lakh pouches have been already distributed among the pilgrims. Now, it will be very difficult to collect the pouches back and destroy them,” they said. RWSS officials said they have directed voluntary organisations to destroy the water pouches at the earliest.