A part of Silchar is suffering Diarrhoea, 4 people has lost their life and 24 is being hospitalized after consuming contaminated water supplied to their home by a PHE water supply scheme which came under the Jal Jeevan Scheme. The spread of diarrhoea is mainly caused by the Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria.
According to reports, the residents of East Bhakatpur of Kathal Road area Silchar are suffering from diarrhoea. A week ago, some residents of Sector 4 under East Bhakatpur Water Supply Scheme started suffering from the disease. First two people were affected, but soon residents from almost every house fall ill. Several of them admitted to Silchar Medical College and Hospital.
Among the died people are Shankar Dutta, aged 40, was the first to pass away 13 days ago. The other victims include 35-year-old Sharif Uddin, who died on 22 December, 65-year-old Putul Mia on 23 December, and 60-year-old Saidur Barbhuiya on 24 December.
Currently, over 24 people are affected and are undergoing treatment at SMCH and Civil Hospital Silchar.
The residents of the area accused the East Bhakatpur Water Supply Scheme of supplying dirty and toxic water, which caused diarrhoea and other diseases.
They also claimed that the death of the peoples is result of consuming contaminated water.
Shankar Dutta’s widow shared her heartbreaking story, saying, “My husband and I both fell sick with diarrhoea after drinking water from the Public Health Engineering (PHE) supply. Two days after the diarrhoea and vomiting started, my husband passed away. Doctors confirmed it was due to the contaminated water. I also suffered from diarrhoea. Today (yesterday) is his shraddha.”
Another local resident added, “At first, we didn’t know what caused the diarrhoea. It started in one household and quickly spread across three lanes. Later, we realized that those who didn’t drink water from the supply were unaffected. When we investigated, we saw the deplorable condition of the infrastructure at the PHE.”
The outbreak has caused chaos in the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) and the Health Department. In response, water samples have been collected from households and the East Bhakatpur Water Supply Scheme for testing. Medical camps have also been set up in the area. The Health Department confirmed that the illness resulted from consuming toxic water.
However, when PHED officials yesterday went to collect water samples, they faced public outrage. Residents confronted an Assistant Engineer and her team, forcing them to leave the area. Locals expressed frustration, claiming that no help was provided by the administration. They said it was the doctors from SMCH and Civil Hospital who first confirmed the water as the source of the outbreak. Meanwhile, government hospitals are overwhelmed, with empty beds becoming hard to find.
The Joint Directorate of Health in Cachar tested water from the PHE and affected lanes, confirming contamination with E. coli. In contrast, the PHED lab reported no presence of E. coli. This discrepancy has raised questions about the reliability of the PHED’s testing methods.
The Assistant Engineer of PHED Division 2 admitted flaws in their testing process, saying, “Our initial tests at the sub-divisional lab showed no E. coli, but these tests using H2S vials are not confirmatory. Our District Level Laboratory, where confirmatory tests are done, is non-functional. We will now send samples to independent labs for third-party testing.”
Health Department Confirms E. coli Contamination
Dr. Ashutosh Barman, Joint Director of Health Services, confirmed that this diarrhoea outbreak is linked to E. coli in the water. He stated, “A total of 24 patients are hospitalized, 22 at SMCH and two at Civil Hospital. Water samples collected from the plant and affected areas tested unfit for human consumption, and stool tests from two patients confirmed E. coli.”
Accountability and Infrastructure Issues
The lack of proper testing facilities in the PHED has exposed a significant gap in ensuring safe drinking water. The East Bhakatpur Water Supply Scheme, which serves over 350 connections, is plagued with poor infrastructure and mismanagement.
With lives at stake and no accountability, residents are demanding urgent action to address the water contamination and prevent further loss of life.
