Karnataka: Contaminated water kills 6, 150 ill in Vijayanagara village

VIJAYANAGARA: Scores of people have fallen prey to contaminated drinking water at a village in Vijayanagara district. Six people have allegedly died and more than 150 people have been hospitalised in the last month.
Now, there are four active cases among which two have been admitted at KIMS Hubballi and one each in at SS Hospital, Davanagere and the Gadag district hospital. They are all stable.
Gastroenteritis broke out in Makarabbi village in Huvina Hadagali taluk recently. The village has about 2,000 people from 450 families. According to preliminary investigation by the district health officer of Ballari, the patients were suffering from gastroenteritis, uneasiness, vomiting and diarrhoea after drinking contaminated water.
According to sources, Jal Jeevan Mission water supply pipeline work had started in the village, but it was halted due to some technical problems.
It is said that the regular drinking water pipeline was damaged due to the JJM work and dirty water was getting mixed with the clean water at a particular spot.
The village has also five borewells, but the health department has certified that water from these borewells is unfit for drinking.
“We have stopped the drinking water supply from other sources, now we are supplying drinking water through four tankers to the villagers,” said PDO Sharanappa B.
The villagers have alleged that the local gram panchayat supplied contaminated water even when it was unfit for drinking and held it the local body responsible for all the six deaths in the village. “The gram panchayat has been supplying contaminated water for the last one month. More than 150 people have been hospitalised and six have died. Who is responsible for this incident?” said Ningappa, from Makarabbi.
DHO Dr LH Janardhan said, “I visited the village on October 2 and advised officials to supply drinking water through RO plant. While one person died in August first week due to this reason, five villagers have died in the last 10 days. The last case was reported on August 28 and our staff started taking preventive action by distributing ORS pouches and examining residents who are still at home.”
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Will visit village soon: DC
According to our officials, four people have died after consuming contaminated water at Makarabbi village. I will look into the matter and also visit the spot within a couple of days and initiate action.
Anirudh Shravan, deputy commissioner, Vijayanagara
Photos: Makarabbi village contaminated water