Seven people out of at least 50 people were hospitalised in the Ghatlodia area of Ahmedabad city after consuming contaminated water, officials said on Thursday, news agency PTI reported.
According to officials, a leaking pipeline led to mixing of sewage with the Narmada water supply to the area.
Following the incident, union minister Amit Shah, under whom the Ghatlodia Lok Sabha constituency falls, spoke to officials and took stock of the situation as residents complained of diarrhoea and vomiting over the last four days after consuming contaminated water.
“Gandhinagar Lok Sabha MP and Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Ahmedabad Mayor Hitesh Barot regarding the diarrhoea and vomiting situation that emerged in some societies of Gota Ward in the North-West Zone of Ghatlodia Assembly constituency in Ahmedabad,” a release from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party stated.
The Union minister instructed Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani and Health Department officials to take all necessary measures, the release said, adding that measures were being taken on a war footing to repair the pipeline.
Health Department teams visited all housing societies where diarrhoea and vomiting cases were reported and conducted house-to-house surveys, while chlorine tablets were also distributed for water purification.
“Officials have taken preventive measures, conducted door-to-door surveys, carried out chlorine testing, and deployed medical teams in the area,” said Dr Bhavin Solanki, Medical Officer of Health at the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, adding that 19 water samples have been collected from the area.
“Seven of the 11 affected individuals remained hospitalised on Thursday,” he told PTI, adding that the situation was under control.
As reported earlier by Hindustan Times, Ahmedabad municipal commissioner Banchanidhi Pani said that Akanksha Apartments was among the most affected societies and health teams were deployed in various places. He further said that more than 26 areas in the city have previously been identified as high-risk and are under continuous monitoring.
While local residents earlier claimed that hundreds of people fell sick after drinking contaminated water over the last four days, commissioner Pani said on Wednesday that some 50 people fell sick after a breakdown in water and drainage pipelines on May 30. The fault was repaired immediately, he had said.
“There are around 50 cases reported at the OPD level, most of them treated and discharged after day care. The situation is under control,” Pani said.
Rakeshbhai Patel, chairman of the Akanksha Apartments society, said nearly 500 residents had fallen ill.
“Gutter water and the Narmada drinking water mixed after a drainage line broke. On an average, at least one person in every house is affected,” Patel said.
