4 Dead, 24 Hospitalized After Diarrhoea Breakout in Kathal Road, Presence of E. Coli Confirmed in PHE Water

The right to safe drinking water is a fundamental right in India and is protected under Article 21 of the Constitution. Article 21 of the Indian Constitution which deals with “life and personal liberty” has become a laughing stock, especially for the residents of Kathal Road (East Bhakatpur) area of Silchar. Four people have been declared dead and at least 24 have been hospitalised after consuming contaminated water supplied to their home by a PHE Water Supply Scheme allegedly under the Jal Jeevan Mission. So far the MP or the MLA of Silchar have not spoken out on the deaths or the mass spreading of diarrhoea. The presence of Escherichia coli (E. coli) group of bacteria is said to be the main reason behind the spread of diarrhoea.

According to reports, a week ago, some residents of Sector 4 under the East Bhakatpur Water Supply Scheme started suffering from diarrhoea. Initially, two people were affected, but soon, residents from almost every household fell ill. Several of them were admitted to Silchar Medical College and Civil Hospital.

40-year-old Shankar Dutta was the first who lost his life, 13 days back. Among the deceased are 35-year-old Sharif Uddin, who died on 22 December, followed by 65-year-old Putul Mia on 23 December and 60-year-old Saidur Barbhuiya on 24 December.

The residents have accused the East Bhakatpur Water Supply Scheme of supplying dirty and toxic water, causing diarrhoea and other diseases. They claim that the deaths are a result of consuming this contaminated water.

Currently, over 24 affected individuals are undergoing treatment at SMCH and Civil Hospital.

Shankar Dutta’s bereaved widow said, “Both me and my husband were diagnosed with diarrhoea after consuming water from the PHE. Two days after the diarrhoea and vomiting, my husband died. Doctors too have said it happened after consuming the supply water. I was also diagnosed with diarrhoea. Today (yesterday) is his shraddha”.

Another local said, “We didn’t know where this diarrhoea originated. It first started from one home but soon spread to three lanes. What we found later was that those who didn’t consume the water from the supply were free from this diarrhoea and were healthy. Then we realised that it was from the water. On the day when we found that water was responsible, we went to the PHE and saw the deplorable condition of the infrastructure there.”

The incident has also triggered chaos in the Public Health Engineering Department and the Health Department. The Health Department has already collected water samples from every household and the East Bhakatpur Water Supply Scheme for testing. Medical camps have also been set up in the area. The department has stated that residents fell ill due to consuming toxic water.

On the other hand, when officials from the Public Health Engineering Department went to collect water samples yesterday, they faced public outrage. Residents confronted the officials, forcing an Assistant Engineer of the PHE Division 2 department and her team to flee the area. Locals have claimed that none from the administration came with help. It was doctors of SMCH and Civil who first said water was the reason behind this widespread diarrhoea. The elected representatives still maintain their vow of silence. Another local lamented that it has become difficult to find empty beds at the government hospitals.

What is more shocking is the technology of the labs Public Health Engineering Department in Silchar. While the Joint Directorate of Health of Cachar tested the water from the PHE and water taps at the affected lanes they found the water to be contaminated with E. Coli among others, but as per the Assistant Engineer of PHE Division 2, their test showed negative for E. Coli presence.

Making a laughing stock of her department, the Assistant Engineer said, “The result of our labs shows negative for the water we tested from the reservoir. Earlier also when we tested the water, it showed the presence of residual chlorine and if residual chlorine is present in the water, E. Coli should not be present. But since now there has been a confirmed presence of E. Coli from labs at Medical College, we will send the samples for testing to independent labs, for third-party testing”.

“The first samples we collected were tested at our sub-divisional lab using H2S vials, but that is not a confirmatory test. At our District Level Laboratory (DLL) we do the confirmatory test but since our machines are not working, so we can’t confirm that. Only third-party testing with an independent body can give us the actual results”, she further said.

For our readers, the H2S vial (Bacteriological) Kit is for checking the Microbiological Quality of water.

The Joint Director of Health Services of Cachar confirmed Barak Bulletin of this localised outbreak of diarrhoea to be due to E. Coli from the water. Dr Ashutosh Barman said, “A total of 24 patients are currently hospitalised, of them, 22 are undergoing treatment at SMCH and 2 patients are admitted to Civil Hospital. We have collected water samples from the plant as well as from the water taps of 4 lanes affected by diarrhoea. The water was tested at Civil Hospital and we found the water to be unfit for human consumption. Stool test of two patients at SMCH confirmed the presence of E. Coli”.

The PHED run by the state government and a department led by Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah lacks the lab in the district to test for E. Coli in water. Water which is a basic necessity and lives depend on is being compromised in the absence of accountability. There are over 350 connections under the East Bhakatpur Water Supply Scheme and the problem lies with Sector 4 of this scheme.