Diarrhoea outbreak in Moga: 25 hospitalised

As many as 25 people, including four children, were taken ill following diarrhoea outbreak in three localities here on Sunday.

Most of the residents in the affected localities—Khanne Ka Agwar, Kular Nagar, and Preet Nagar—reportedly have illegal water connections, which lead to contamination due to seepage from sewerage lines.

Most of the patients are undergoing treatment at the Civil Hospital here and one Surjit Kaur of Khanne Ka Agwar was referred to a Faridkot hospital.

Even as illness due to water contamination is a routine in these localities, still the authorities had failed to take remedial measures. In the past, authorities had warned of action against illegal water connections, but nothing happened. There are difference of opinions between the councillors and the civic body employees over severing illegal water connections. Under pressure, the MC commissioner had to put on hold severing the illegal connections.

The Civil Hospital authorities didn’t inform the higher authorities about the outbreak of the disease and even deputy commissioner (DC) got to know about the incident from the media.

Deputy commissioner Kuldeep Singh Vaid visited the affected areas and pulled up the MC and hospital staff for lapses.

“We are distributing ORS sachets to the people and water supply has been halted to check the spread of the disease. The water in the affected localities will be supplied through tankers only,” he said, adding the water pipes will be changed and illegal connections will be removed.