New Delhi: The MCD health committee on Friday
wrote to Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit telling her that over
15 per cent of water samples tested during a study in the city
were found contaminated and that the government and the civic
body should join hands to combat the problem.
MCD Health Committee chief and BJP councillor VK Monga
sent a letter to Dikshit saying that 126 of 747 water samples
(over 16 per cent) tested were found to "contain high
quantities of bacteria, which are usually of faecal origin."
The panel, which carried out testing of Delhi Jal Board
water, had last week said it found that 18 per cent of the
samples are contaminated. Asked about the difference in
figure, Monga said "it was an ongoing study and more samples
are being collected. These samples were taken till March 15".
He said the samples have been tested in an accredited
laboratory and it is a public health problem. "There is no use
of blame-game and we should jointly collect the samples to
broaden the study and make the report public," the leader of
BJP, which is in power in the civic body, said.
In the summer season, contaminated water can lead to
spread of diseases like jaundice, typhoid and
gastro-enteritis, he said adding, there is need to check water
pipelines passing along sewers to prevent mixing of sewage and
water, clean old pipes and repair them.
"We should join hands to solve this problem on priority.
I humbly request you to direct your departments to take
remedial measures on a war-footing to save Delhiites from
water-borne diseases," the letter by Monga said.
Dikshit had last week rejected the MCD report that 18 per
cent of water supplied in the city is polluted and accused the
BJP of "doing politics" over the issue. "If the report is
correct, then most of the people in Delhi would have suffered
from water-borne diseases," she had said.
PTI
