KN DESK; 21, April 2013: Water borne diseases have broken out in many villages of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district including Sherpora, Darpora, and Waripora Bala due to the consumption of highly contaminated water.

The locals said that the water that was being supplied to them was unhygienic and was not going through any kind of filtration process at the nearby filtration plant. “We are more than four patients in our family and there are as many as 10 patients in our village who are suffering from typhoid due to the consumption of the contaminated water. Same is the case with the nearby villages including Dardpora and Waripora which are wholly dependent on this pipe line. Here the water is being supplied from a tank which doesn’t have anything like filtration equipment in it,” said Rayees Ahmad, a resident of Sherpora.

The locals said that the water at source point is getting mixed with the drainage and wastage of Sub-district hospital Tangmarg.

They said that there has been so many incident in the past too in which whole village felt sick. “The water has foul smell and at times insects are visible in it. Within just few days, more than 10 people have been severely infected. We have approached to the concerned PHE department for many times to look into the matter but nothing like has been done yet,” said Shahid another residents.

Meanwhile, Block Medical Officer Kreeri Bilquis Shah admitted that the area was facing such problems as the water reservoir is accumulated near the Zeran and Tangmarg which gets mixed with the main water supply.

She said that there has been such incident in the past when the whole area had suffered with typhoid and also assured that she will look into the matter.“Due to the heavy rainfall, the pipeline near the Zeran army camp often breaks and the dirty water gets mixed with the main water supply. The water is too unhygienic and one of the patients has been shifted to SMHS. The PHE department takes a lot of time to restore it due to which the people who consume it fall prey to water borne diseases,” she said.

When contacted concerned, Junior Engineer, PHE department, Syed Abdul Rashid Bukhari said that the area was facing dearth of drinking water due to heavy rainfall. He however said that the filtration process was functional in the water plant. “The water is being filtrated but still I will look into the matter.