Free treatment for diarrhoea patients in Phillaur: DC

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 28

The Deputy Commissioner, Jalandhar, Varinder Kumar Sharma today announced free medical treatment for all diarrhoea patients at the Civil Hospital, Phillaur, after visiting the hospital and areas affected by the disease today.

Passing strict instructions to the Civil Surgeon, Jalandhar, Sharma said all efforts would be made to eradicate the disease. A death and over 200 cases of diarrhoea had been reported in the past two days from Ward Nos 9 and 10 in Phillaur.

Interacting with patients at the hospital, Sharma said in primary enquiry, supply of polluted water had been ascertained as the reason behind the disease and it was ordered to the Water Supply Department to stop the supply of contaminated water for two days in affected areas.

The Deputy Commissioner said the department would ensure the supply of safe drinking water.

Over 40 illegal water supply connections had also been cut at Phillaur by teams of the sewerage board yesterday, to plug the leak, which was causing contamination in groundwater.

The Deputy Commissioner has also ordered the Executive Officer, Municipal Corporation, Phillaur, to provide chlorine-enriched drinking water with tankers. Besides, 10 more tankers had also been provided to the MC, Phillaur, for the same.

Taking serious note of some complaints raised by patients during the visit, the Deputy Commissioner has also asked the Civil Surgeon, Maninder Kaur Minhas, to depute additional teams of doctors and supporting staff at the hospital to personally oversee the whole treatment process.

It was also instructed to station more medical teams in affected areas. The Deputy Commissioner said a door-to-door survey should be done for collecting the data regarding affected persons and to make people aware about precautionary measures such as using boiled water for drinking.

The Deputy Commissioner has also asked the XEN, Water Supply and Sanitation Department, to submit an estimate for replacement of affected pipes to eliminate the possibilities of these diseases.

Phillaur Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Varinder Pal Singh Bajwa has been ordered to submit reports on a daily basis in this regard.