The fear of jaundice continues to haunt the locals even as the state government contemplates to lift water from Ashwani Khad, a water source that had led to the outbreak of jaundice in parts of Shimla city in 2015- 16.
The previous government had discontinued lifting of water from Ashwani Khad in January 2016 after the outbreak of jaundice in parts of Shimla city was reported due to contaminated water supply from Ashwani Khad.
In wake of the water crisis that gripped Shimla city leading to water rationing and water being provided on four day, the Education minister Suresh Bhardwaj who is also legislator from Shimla, in a recently held meeting with the officers of Shimla Municipal Corporation, Irrigation and Public Health department, district administration and Electricity Board was apprised by the SMC officers that samples sent to labs in Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla and Pune laboratories were found to be appropriate for drinking purpose.
Consequent to it the minister directed to ensure even-handed water supply to the Shimla city. The residents of the parts of Shimla city that had over two years ago borne the brunt of outbreak of jaundice are still yet to come to terms to the fact that the water can be fit for drinking purpose.
Sandhya a resident of Malyana said, “The state government should re-consider the decision. It was necessary that repeated checks and tests at random should be done before water supply is restored from the Ashwani Khad.”
Some residents of Shimla have expressed their apprehension and anxiety on social media by stating that jaundice will be free along with drinking water once water lifting starts from Ashwani Khad. Former Mayor Shimla Municipal Corporation and CPM leader Sanjay Chauhan, in whose tenure the jaundice outbreak occurred and the Ashwani Khad water source was closed, termed the decision as a hasty one.
He demanded its roll-back keeping in view of the seriousness and health concern of the residents. “The water lifted from Ashwani Khad should not be mixed with the water source of Koti- Brandi as the sewerage treatment plant was not functioning properly. This will lead to seepage into the drinking water and like the previous years the people of Shimla will be gripped in jaundice,” he added.
In the year 2015, jaundice had gripped parts of Shimla city. Consequent to it springing into action the former municipal corporation consequent to sent water samples of Ashwani Khad and water tanks of residents of some areas for tests and the reports of National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune tested positive for Hepatitis-E virus.
The water supply from Ashwani Khad (a drinking water source) was suspended after it was found to be contaminated and parts of the Shimla city faced outbreak jaundice.
The jaundice outbreak was ascertained owing to the contamination of Ashwani Khad drinking water supply due to seepage of sullage from Malyana sewerage treatment plant that were not functioning properly.
The then Health and Family Welfare minister in the Congress government had in February 2016, acceded to 10 deaths. As many as 1,500 jaundice cases had been reported from the hospitals out of which 680 patients were suffering from Hepatitis E.