Illness Reports in Meerak Shah Colony Put Spotlight on Water Supply, PHE Says Everything Normal
Srinagar, Aug 15, KNT: Concerns over drinking water have surfaced in Syed Meerak Shah Colony near Zakura Crossing Batapora on the outskirts of Srinagar after several residents, including children, reportedly fell ill, prompting questions over the quality of water being supplied to the locality.
Locals have linked the illnesses to the tap water being consumed in the area and have urged the authorities to determine whether the water supply has any connection with the health complaints.
The concerns have emerged alongside a water quality report issued by the Kashmir Public Health Engineering Department’s Shuhama Water Testing Laboratory after a sample was collected on August 10 from a tap at a house in Meerak Shah Colony under the WSS Rakhi Zakura scheme.
The official laboratory report states that the tested parameters were within the permissible limits prescribed under BIS standards and records the bacteriological test as negative. At the same time, the report records residual chlorine at 0.0 mg/l and carries a specific recommendation: “Chlorine Not Found, Boiling Recommended.”
The report also records sulphate at 400 mg/l, which is the maximum permissible limit mentioned in the report, while total dissolved solids were recorded at 503.3 mg/l against a desirable limit of 500 mg/l. Hardness stood at 270 mg/l against a desirable limit of 200 mg/l, while turbidity was recorded at 3.06 NTU against a maximum permissible limit of 5 NTU.
Separately, a private laboratory report dated August 10 and shared in connection with the health concerns shows a positive Widal test, including a Salmonella Typhi H titre of 1:160 and O titre of 1:80. However, the laboratory itself notes that a single Widal test has limited diagnostic value and that false positive results can occur. The report therefore does not, by itself, establish that the illness was caused by contaminated water.
When contacted, the concerned Executive Engineer, Rural, said there was no immediate indication of any abnormality in the water supply and maintained that everything was normal.
The official said the department was nevertheless looking into the matter and examining the circumstances surrounding the complaints.
The differing elements have left residents seeking a clearer explanation, particularly whether the reported illnesses are linked to the water supply or have another cause.
While the PHE laboratory’s bacteriological test of the particular sample was negative, the absence of residual chlorine and the laboratory’s recommendation to boil the water have added significance to the concerns raised by residents.
Locals have sought fresh sampling from multiple points across the locality and a detailed examination of the supply network to establish whether there is any localized problem that may not have been captured by the single sample tested on August 10. [KNT]
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