The diarrhoea outbreak in Kalol municipality was raised in the assembly on Tuesday, when the government informed the House that cracks in a 40-year-old pipeline supplying drinking water caused contamination, resulting in the death of an eight-month-old infant.
Over 500 residents became ill in a week beginning March 6, with 93 being admitted to a hospital.
A total of 554 people reported vomiting and diarrhoea in the first two weeks of March after drinking contaminated water in the municipality that falls under Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s Lok Sabha constituency.
In July of last year, five people died in a cholera outbreak that affected nearly 300 people, and Shah expressed concern and raised the issue with officials.
The state minister for Health and Family Welfare Nimishaben Suthar said in the Assembly that the main pipeline supplying drinking water is 40 years old. “This pipeline was fractured and contaminated with sewage,” she said, adding that the government has taken this issue seriously.
“Due to the instructions from Union minister and chief minister, the municipality will be replacing the main pipeline as soon as possible,” the minister added.
Nitin Vora, chief officer of Kalol municipality, said the drinking water was contaminated owing to internet cable lines being laid in the area which resulted in damage to drinking water pipeline, which in turn mixed with water from the gutterline (wastewater pipeline).
“The network of water and gutter lines is 45 years old in this area. Now new drinking water pipelines will be laid in the eastern part of the railway lines, which has been approved, with 3.5 kilometre as ductile iron pipeline and 1.25 kilometre as PVC pipeline,” Vora said
“Currently Gujarat Urban Development Company (GUDC) is undertaking a survey for the drainage network for the area and is expected to submit a report in 10 days. The new network will ensure that the drinking water line and the drainage line run parallely and do not criss-cross as is the case now, to avoid such events,” he added.
“This is the second time water-borne diseases have affected the eastern part of Kalol. The first time, five people died. Despite complaints, the condition did not improve and last week one more death had happened. This area is also represented by Union Home Minister (Amit Shah),” Thakor said,
“The Kalol municipality had allocated Rs 31.5 lakh for providing drinking water.Thakor pointed out that in the eastern side of Kalol, 90 per cent of the residents are Dalits and others are Sched-uled Castes and Scheduled Tribes”, He added.