Water contamination: CM Siddaramaiah fixes onus on Zila Parishad CEOs

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday directed the officials to take up a survey in slums across the state and ensure that the drinking water pipelines are not interlinked with drain pipes. In the wake of recent deaths due to consumption of contaminated water, he warned that the Zilla Panchayat CEOs will, henceforth, be suspended for deaths due to consumption of contaminated water, apart from action being initiated against the commissioners of the civic bodies.

Slums where the pipelines are not separate need to be identified and immediate action must be taken to set it right, he said. Even tankers must be checked for cleanliness, he added, while asking officials to spread awareness about clean drinking water.  

He also urged for better coordination among Rural Development, Health, Urban Development and Town Planning departments. 

Not only pipelines, even tank cleaning has to be undertaken at the earliest, he said.

Water contamination: 19 fall ill

As many as 19 people fell ill after consuming contaminated water in Gajarakota village of Gurmitkal taluk of Yadagir district on Tuesday.

Villagers alleged that pipes supplying drinking water have been damaged as roads have been dup for Jal Jeevan Mission works. Dr M M Rahil of Gajarkot primary health centre said that only nine had complained of vomiting and diarrhea. An elderly man with low blood pressure has been shifted to district hospital in Yadgir.

District surveillance officer has inspected the water sources in the village.