CUTTACK: The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) has projected a cost estimate of `14.95 crore for revamp of old and faulty water pipelines in Hepatitis E affected localities of Cuttack even as around 200 squads have been deployed for a thorough evaluation of water supply network in the entire city.
The Department has pressed 41 teams for the job in the most affected localities of Jobra, Thoria Sahi, Patapol and Gamhadiha while the number of Hepatitis E cases rose to 119 on Monday. The teams have identified around 187 leakage points and faulty pipelines of which 172 have been repaired.
Around 767 old pipelines have also been detected of which 409 have been repaired till Monday. Piped water supply to the worst affected pockets has been cut off. Around 193 tanks have been installed and 18 tankers deployed in these areas to ensure adequate water supply to people.
This was disclosed at a review meeting held by Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Minister Pushpendra Singhdeo and Health Minister Atanu Sabysachi Nayak following their visit to the affected pockets here.
Collector Nirmal Chandra Mishra said the city has been divided into 20 zones and is being extensively surveyed by squads comprising PHD engineers, Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) staff, health officials and sanitation workers. Besides detecting faulty broken down pipelines, the squads are also responsible for initiating drain cleaning and sanitation drives in the outbreak zones.
With more than 80 per cent of pipelines passing through drains, it was decided to undertake drain cleaning works and raise the pipes to evade contact on a war footing. The CMC has, however, sought funds from the H&UD Department for undertaking the works more intensively. Two sanitation workers will be attached to every squad for undertaking instant cleaning of drains and garbage points.
Meanwhile, the Health department has deployed 160 workers including Asha and Anganwadi workers for conducting door-to-door awareness campaign in the city.