The deceased have been identified as Manjula, Raghavendra, and Praveen, all residents of the Kavadigarahatti Colony in Chitradurga town.
As many as 15 people are still being treated in an Intensive Care Unit in Chitradurga. (supplied)
A pall of gloom descended on the Kavadigarahatti locality in Chitradurga city of Karnataka as three died and at least 146 people fell ill due to alleged consumption of contaminated water.
The deceased have been identified as Manjula (23), Raghavendra (27), and Praveen (24). All three are residents of Kavadigarahatti.
As many as 146 other residents of Kavadigarahatti colony complained of diarrhoea and vomiting and fell ill after they consumed contaminated tap water supplied by the Chitradurga City Municipal Council on Monday, 31 July.
Of the three victims, one died in Chitradurga, another succumbed in Davanagere, and another person in Bengaluru.
The Chitradurga District Administration has collected the water samples and sent them to labs to ascertain contamination and its levels.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner (DC) GRJ Divya Prabhu has suspended a Group-D employee, while two wall-men (contract employees) have been terminated from the service.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has also ordered a detailed probe into the incident and directed the suspension of the officials concerned.
Two FIRs have also been reported on the incident: One in Chitradurga Rural and another in Bengaluru City.
It may be noted that it is third incident of water contamination reported in the last two months in the state.
According to the Chitradurga district administration: “Around 149 people have fallen ill after consuming contaminated water. Among them, 44 are children (between the age group of one to 18 years) and the remaining are adults.”
It added: “Among the children, none is in serious condition, and all are responding to treatment. All the three deceased are between the ages of 23 and 27. All the people are being treated at the district health hospital.”
District Health Officer (DHO) R Ranganath told South First: “Prima facie, four of the five collected water samples are unfit for human consumption. It was found out in the lab reports that there was the vibrio cholerae bacteria [in them]. We are waiting for the final and detailed water analysis report.”
He added: “It has also been suspected that a toxic chemical was added to the water. We have sent the samples for testing, and results are expected in two days. After the autopsy of the three deceased, the samples have been collected and sent to the labs.”
On the health condition of the people, he said: “As many as 15 are still being treated in the ICU and two are in critical condition.”
The DHO also said: “The cases started occurring from 31 July. The numbers were initially low, but increased to 146 on Thursday. We have also opened a temporary clinic in the locality and door-to-door testing is being conducted.”
Besides suspending a Group-D employee of the CMC and terminating two contract wall-men from service for dereliction of duty, DC Divya Prabhu has — in a letter to the Department of Urban Development — also recommended the suspension of an assistant executive engineer and junior engineer.
Confirming all this to South First, DC Divya Prabhu also said: “The district administration acted as soon as the incident came to its notice. However, we could not save the lives of three people as one of the deceased had already left the city and fallen ill in Bengaluru.”
She continued: “We have stopped supply of drinking water from the main source and water tankers are being supplied to the locality. We have even distributed food kits to all the affected families. I have also recommended compensation from the Chief Minister’s relief fund for the victims’ families. The district in-charge minister D Sudhakar has also announced ₹10 lakh compensation for the kin of the deceased.”
On the allegations of a person intentionally poisoning the drinking water, she said: “It is a rumour. We are waiting for the lab report. Two FIRs have already been filed and police are investigating the matter. However, no arrests have been made in the incident.”
She added: “We require more time for the detailed lab report on the incident as we have also sent samples of the deceased. Currently, the situation is under control. On the request of the people, we have also opened relief centres.”
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