BENGALURU: The State Government on Tuesday ordered a probe into deaths due to consumption of contaminated water at Makarabbi village of Vijayanagara district over the last two weeks. “A team of officials, headed by senior IAS officer Munish Moudgil, will inquire into all aspects, including reasons for the contamination of drinking water.
They will investigate how sewage water got mixed with drinking water, who is responsible for it, who are the local officials and engineers and who are the senior officials responsible for it,” said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai here on Tuesday. The team has to submit the report within five days, said a government order issued later.
Bommai said the State Government has taken the issue seriously, and announced a compensation of `3 lakh to the kin of each deceased. At least three people have died after consuming contaminated water in the village, while over 150 people were admitted to hospitals.
Also, the regional commissioner of Kalaburgi has been directed to give a report on the deaths of three people in Afzalpur taluk of the district, the chief minister said. While some claim the deaths are due to monkey fever, others attribute it to contaminated water. Action will be taken after getting the report from the regional commissioner, the chief minister added.
In September, two women of Kamalapur taluk of Kalaburgi district died due to gastroenteritis, while 50 people were admitted to hospitals. There, too, consuming contaminated water was said to be the reason for the deaths. The government order issued on Tuesday evening stated that there were reports of six deaths in Makarabbi village and there is a need to find the exact reason. Action will be taken against those responsible, it added.