Concerned over increasing cases of jaundice being reported in local hospitals, the state health department of Himachal Pradesh has called for checking the contamination of Ashwani Khud drinking water scheme till other arrangements were made for proper treatment of water.
The state health department and Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) have asked the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) department to suspend sully of water from Ashwani Khud till an alternative water treatment facility is stationed, an official release said.
The two departments also asked the IPH to get clearance from National Institute of Virology, Pune regarding the contamination of drinking water from Hepatitis virus before resuming the water supply.
Official sources said the health department has asked the IPH and SMC to temporarily suspend, until the mixing of untreated water from sewerage treatment plant into the said water supply scheme, was plugged.
A meeting of health officials chaired by Director, Health and Family Welfare, D S Gurung was held this afternoon to spell out measures to check the cause and spread of jaundice in town.
The meeting was attended by the Shimla Municipal Corporation officials who are responsible for clean drinking water supply in town.
"We have taken up the matter with the IPH department to check and properly treat the water supplied from the Ashwani Khud scheme and also asked the IPH and SMC to ensure re-distribution of water in Shimla from sources other than the khud for the time being," Gurung said.
Meanwhile, a team headed by Shimla MC Mayor Sanjay Chauhan also visited the Ashwini Khud pumping station today and found "clear cut" mixing of untreated water from the sewerage treatment plants in the water supply scheme.
