Indore, Jan 10 (IANS) With four new cases of diarrhoea traced in the last 24 hours in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area, the number of patients admitted in hospitals rose to 41 on Saturday, including 12 in intensive care units (ICUs), according to Chief Health and Medical Officer (CHMO) Dr Madhav Prasad Hasani.

There were 11 patients admitted to ICU wards on Friday. However, the health condition of one more patient admitted to a general ward in a hospital deteriorated on Saturday and the patient has now been shifted to the ICU.

So far, a total of 420 diarrhoea patients have been admitted, out of whom 379 have been discharged from more than 30 hospitals since contaminated drinking water triggered a health crisis in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area a few days ago.

However, local BJP leader and Madhya Pradesh Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said on Saturday that the health situation in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area, where contaminated drinking water killed several people recently, is steadily returning to normal.

During a visit to the Bhagirathpura area on Saturday morning, Vijayvargiya told media persons that 30 per cent work on laying a new pipeline to provide Narmada drinking water has been completed and the samples are being tested at multiple locations. He said that Narmada water supply in some parts of the Bhagirathpura area will start in the next two-three days.

The Minister said that water samples from over 100 borewells in the area were found contaminated and people have been advised to drink water supplied only through tankers. Vijayvargiya also said he has directed Indore district collector Shivram Verma to order a ban on granting permission for new borewells.

Vijayvargiya also said that the administration has decided to conduct a health check-up of every resident in the Bhagirathpura area and the process has already started. He said that multiple teams of medical staff have been deployed to carry out health check-ups during door-to-door visits in the area.

“There are around 50,000-60,000 people residing in Bhagirathpura area and their health check-up is being conducted by multiple teams of medical staff, and if someone’s health condition is found to be deteriorating, he/she will be provided better treatment,” Vijayvargiya said.

Meanwhile, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav Neeraj Mandloi, along with ACS and Indore in-charge Anupam Rajan, district collector Shivram Verma and Indore Municipal Commissioner Kshitij Singhal, carried out an inspection to take stock of the situation on the ground. During the inspection, officials were seen interacting with residents.

ACS Neeraj Mandloi said that water supply in one-third area of Bhagirathpura will be resumed in the next one or two days.

“Around a 15-20 km-long water pipeline is being laid, but it will take time. Approval for all development works has been given and the entire work will be completed in the next one or two months,” Mandloi told media persons.

–IANS

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