Two die, many ill due to polluted water in junior Jal Shakti minister’s constituency

BHOPAL:  While the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti works to achieve PM Narendra Modi’s dream of providing clean drinking water to every Indian household under Jal Jeevan Mission’s Har Ghar Nal scheme by 2024, back in the Lok Sabha constituency of the minister of the state of the same department, Prahlad Patel, at least two villagers have died and almost 50 others have taken ill apparently due to consumption of contaminated water.

A man aged around 70 years and a younger woman from his family died, while dozens of others have fallen ill after they consumed water from a well in Khanchari Pati village of Damoh distict.

According to doctors at the district hospital, where 11 patients are admitted, contaminated water has possibly led to the outbreak of acute gastroenteritis and associated problems in the village.

“By the time our team of doctors rushed to the village on Wednesday, on the instructions of the Damoh district chief medical and health officer Dr Sangeeta Trivedi, two deaths had already happened. Our team camped at the village and shifted at least 35 patients of mild dehydration to the nearby health centre. Ten others who were seriously ill were rushed to the Damoh district hospital,” on-duty doctor told the media on Thursday.

“While all the 10 hospitalised patients are now out of danger, another patient who was in a critical condition, is now stabile,” Deputy CMHO Dr Sachin Malaiya said.

A young girl who was among the patients said many villagers were suffering from acute diarrhoea and associated problems after consuming water from the well.

“I lost my grandfather and aunt due to the stomach-related infection,” she said.