Ludhiana: Potable water a distant dream for Preet Nagar residents

Learning no lessons from the diarrhoea outbreak in Preet Nagar on Tajpur Road last year, the municipal corporation (MC) has failed to ensure safe drinking water to the area.

Claiming that the water supplied by the MC is not clean, many people have even stopped drinking it. More than 100 people had fallen ill after consuming contaminated water supplied by the MC, last year. Four deaths were reported due to diarrhoea and gastroenteritis in Preet Nagar, Baba Jeevan Singh Nagar and adjoining areas.

When HT team visited the area, residents were seen queuing up near a private water tank outside the Satsang Bhawan to fill their buckets with water.

Residents claimed that political leaders and MC officials had visited the area, but they failed to ensure safe drinking water supply to the homes.

“We are still getting contaminated water. Two people had died here due to diarrhoea, last year. Most of us cannot afford water purifiers at homes and are forced to drink this water,” said Joginder Singh, a resident of Preet Nagar.

Another resident, Vajinder Singh, said, “If the MC provides us safe drinking water, there will be no need to stand in queues to get water from a private water tank outside the Satsang Bhawan. Moreover, a person can get two buckets of water from the pump three times a day. Summer has just begun, and we are already facing problem in getting water. The government should pay attention towards our area.”

A team of health department had also visited the area a week ago and residents had complained to them about the problem.

District epidemiologist Ramesh Kumar said, “Residents were advised to drink boiled water and take preventive measures to keep diseases at bay.”

“Earlier, health department used to collect water samples for testing. But now, the government has given the responsibility of collecting and testing samples to the MC,” he said.

The civic body here has been claiming that the water supplied by it is safe. MC zone-B commissioner Kamlesh Bansal said, “We have not received any complaint regarding contaminated water supply. We are supplying clean water. Even a new tubewell was installed to supply water to the houses. But, I will direct the staff concerned to visit the area for inspection.”