Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, November 7

Though residents of Dheha Basti (slum basti) in Rajpura, an epicentre of the recent diarrhoea outbreak, have already been given proprietary rights under the Basera scheme of the state government, but ironically are without water connections. Consequent upon no water connections, the residents resorted to illegal connections, using hydraulic ram water pumps, which allegedly has led to the diarrhoea outbreak in the area.

It is only after the outbreak the government is now said to have been planning to provide alternative water pipeline and new water connections therein.

Gautam Jain, Additional Deputy Commissioner, said they were planning to provide a permanent solution to the problem to avoid any outbreak in future. He said, “The government has given proprietary rights under the Basera scheme, therefore, we will be sending a proposal to the government to provide an alternative water pipeline to the area. We are already in talks with the Water and Sanitation Department for a new pipeline.”

Gautam said the district administration would be providing water through tankers until the fresh pipeline was laid in the area.

Karandeep Singh, Sub Divisional Officer, Department of Water Supply, said residents had taken illegal water connections from an abandoned water pipeline in the area.

It has been learnt from the sources the department was unexpectedly not aware that the water pipeline was functional despite being declared abandoned.

Situation under control now: Health Department

The Health Department on Sunday said that the diarrhoea outbreak in the area, Dheha Basti, was under control. The department said that only four fresh cases of diarrhoea were reported on Sunday. With this, the total number of people affected with diarrhoea has now reached 39. The department said that a medical team held a camp on Sunday at the outbreak site. Health officials said that results of the stool samples of the diarrhoea patients were awaited.