Recently, two persons succumbed due to water-borne dieases at Fauji Colony, however, the health department has claimed that deaths were not due to diarrhoea. On the other hand, the relatives argue that the contaminated water supply was the major cause of spread of diseases.

Scores of cases of jaundice have also been reported in the last two months from various areas of the city that mainly included Kot Mangal Singh and Mayapuri.

The quality of water in various other areas has been reported to be far below the standard. “I have even stopped drinking water from the municipal coprporation supply. Now we buy mineral water everyday since I had jaundice,” says a city resident from Baba Isher Singh Nagar.

The MC, however, has been acting on complaints.

“We have identified high risk areas including Islamabad, Jawahar Nagar, Shimlapuri, Sua Road, Kot Mangal SIngh and Haibowal and have been doing regular chlorination. We have done cleaing up of water pipes in the areas and taken all measures and done everything possible in our hands,” says K S Dhillon, Superintending Engineer of O&M (Operations and Mainetance) wing of MC Ludhiana.

As per SE, D S Malhotra, the high risk areas in his Zone include Giaspura and various areas of focal point, where water-borne diseases break out almost every year and have many a time assumed near epidemic proportions.