Water pipe leaks in south Kolkata, enteric spreads

kolkata, April 27 An enteric scare has sparked concern and anger among the residents of South Kolkata, as dozens of people have taken ill after consuming contaminated drinking water. The water, which was supplied by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation(KMC), became contaminated after a leak in a drinking water supply pipe. The residents of wards 71 and 73 are the worst affected.

A total of 13 people in Bhowanipur, Jogubabur Bazar, Elgin Road and adjoining areas have been taken ill over the last two days. They were taken to the Sambhunath Pandit hospital and the SSKM hospital and were discharged after primary treatment.

Sebanti Sen, a housewife from Bhowanipur, said: “We are all scared. One or two people in my locality are falling sick everyday. I am not taking any chances. I am using either packaged water or boiled water. But both are costly and cumbersome. As if the heat was not bad enough, we will now have to battle the disease.”

The KMC sent an inspection team comprising the officials of the waterworks department and health department to the affected areas on Sunday.

The team, which had to face the anger of locals, admitted to the leak in supply pipe at the crossing of Bijay Bose Road and Sashi Bose Road in Bhowanipur. “We have inspected the areas and checked the water supply pipelines. There is a leak at one point. The supply pipelines are old and we have decided to repair it. The order has already been given and work will start tomorrow,” said Bibhas Maity, Director General of Waterworks Department of KMC.