Amritsar, January 5
A pregnant woman died of jaundice here yesterday, even as residents of Kot Mit Singh and Guru Arjan Dev Nagar and adjoining areas alleged that contaminated water was being supplied to them.
At least 14 persons, including five women — three of them pregnant — and four children have reportedly died due to jaundice in the area, while the Municipal Corporation and the Health Department are indulging in the blame game. The health authorities have allegedly failed to provide necessary medicines to people suffering from jaundice.
The Mayor, Mr Sunil Datti, talking to this correspondent, admitted that the Municipal Corporation could not activate the new tubewell for the affected areas immediately. However, fresh water supply through tankers had been arranged on a regular basis to overcome the shortage of potable drinking water. He said the Health Department had not taken adequate steps, like organising medical camps in the area, to combat the disease.
Residents of the area have been up in arms over the supply of foul-smelling water for the past three months but the district administration, the Municipal Corporation and the Health Department have failed to take corrective measures to improve the water supply. A medical camp was organised during the visit of the local MLA and Minister for Excise, Mr Sardool Singh, in December, but after that no doctor from the Health Department has visited the area to monitor the spread of jaundice.
A spokesman for the Health Department said the health authorities had been able to provide medicines to treat jaundice patients only for a few days as they had been directed that the provision for medicines was only for a limited period and could not be extended without the orders of the higher authorities. The spokesman alleged that it was the failure of the MC to provide clean water in the affected areas that had resulted in deaths due to jaundice. The Civil Surgeon, Dr K.K. Sharma, confirmed that the offer for free diagnostic tests and medicines was valid till December 25.
Meanwhile, Mr Ravinder Kumar Sultanwind, president of the All-India Youth Association, has sought the transfer of the Civil Surgeon and the Municipal Commissioner from the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh. He also threatened to launch an agitation along with the residents of the affected areas.
