Vijayawada: Two persons died of suspected water contamination and around 10 others were hospitalised with diarrhoea-like symptoms in Mogalrajapuram in Andhra Pradesh's Vijayawada district.
The two deaths were recorded in the last two days. The family members alleged that contamination in the drinking water taps have led to the deaths. The two were admitted to the local hospital with complaints of vomiting and loose motion.
In February, three persons had died and over 200 were hospitalised in Guntur after consuming suspected contaminated water.
According to locals, it has been several months since people in Vijayawada have complained of contaminated water but the authorities have not taken any action. They complained of discoloured and foul-smelling tap water on Patamatvari Street in Mogalrajapuram, yet no steps were taken to replace the rusted pipelines.
Locals said that the government's primary focus is on installing metres for drinking water connections and subsequent hike in charges rather than improving the amenities. Over the last five years, minimum effort has been taken to replace the drinking water pipelines. The current administration has marginalised the Comprehensive Infrastructure Investment Plan (CIIP), which was introduced by the previous TDP government.
Among the 18,240 drinking water pipelines in 123 municipalities and urban local bodies statewide, 40 percent are damaged, with 5,034 kilometres being critically deteriorated. The pipes are corroded and riddled with holes while many are located in or near sewage channels thereby increasing chances of contamination. Despite the rise in cases of diarrhoea and gastroenteritis, the government has only made temporary arrangements to tackle the issue, locals added.
Experts have stated that the contamination of drinking water is not only because of rusted pipelines but also due to the lack of proper cleaning of reservoirs. There are no consistent efforts to clean the reservoirs, which are around 8 to 10 in each city. Water from treatment plants is usually supplied to homes via these reservoirs, which must be cleaned every six months to prevent moss and sludge buildup, an expert said. Despite tenders being called for this purpose, work is often done inadequately.
This summer, the decreased water flow in rivers and drying reservoirs have caused drinking water shortages in six to seven cities. As a substitute, borewell water is being directly pumped into reservoirs and distributed to the public without proper treatment, resulting in health issues. This practice is widespread in various areas of Vijayawada and municipalities across Prakasam, Chittoor, Nellore, Kurnool, and Anantapur districts.
This summer, residents of eight municipal corporations and 35 municipalities and urban panchayats have struggled with untreated water supplied through tankers. Borewell water is collected into tanks and directly distributed to the public, causing health issues among those using this water for drinking purposes.
Recently, several cases of vomiting and diarrhoea have been reported in Anantapur, Prakasam, Krishna and Guntur districts, leading to numerous hospitalisations.
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