Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 23 Sep: Chief Secretary (CS) Anand Bardhan today held a detailed review meeting with the officials of departments concerned at the Secretariat regarding the contaminated drinking water incident in Jeolikote, Nainital. During the meeting, the CS expressed strong displeasure over the lapses and made it clear that no negligence be tolerated in the matters of drinking water quality and public health.
Bardhan asserted that it is a matter of serious concern that despite a strong field network in the state, information about the contaminated drinking water situation in Jeolikote could not be received at the state level in time. He noted that the state has a large network of field staff including the teachers, the patwaris, gram panchayat officials and the tubewell operators, and directed that an effective information and feedback mechanism be developed by making optimum use of this network so that any problem related to drinking water quality or health in any area can be reported immediately. He ordered that an effective information and feedback mechanism be prepared and reviewed regularly for this purpose.
The CS also directed that geo mapping and GIS geo-referencing of major water supply schemes across the state be carried out. He said mapping of the entire network from source to the consumers including the storage, pipeline, sewer line and crossing points in the water supply system should be done. He ordered that physical verification of major water supply schemes across the state be completed in the next 15 days. During this, sources, storage, pipelines, sewer lines, crossing points and consumer ends should be checked for possible leakages. He directed that date of cleaning of storage tanks, chlorination record, availability and use of chlorine, testing of water for coliform and other necessary parameters and their regular record be also ensured. He also directed that crossing points of drinking water and sewerage lines should be specially identified and necessary remedial measures including replacement of old pipes should be taken where required.
Bardhan said a clear SOP be prepared for checking drinking water lines and sewerage lines and its strict compliance should be ensured. He said detailed SOP had been issued after the Indore incident, yet if a situation of contaminated drinking water arises anywhere, it is necessary to see at what level the SOP was not followed and what were the reasons. He directed officials to ensure regular monitoring of major drinking water projects in the state.
The CS further directed the Pollution Control Board to ensure arrangement for regular quality testing of drinking water along with STP and surface water in major cities. He also directed surprise inspection of all the sewage treatment plants in the state. He directed the Health Department that wherever cases of contaminated drinking water or such incidents come to light, a team of the Health Department should be sent immediately. He said arrangements at CMO and CMS level should be reactivated and teams of doctors should be kept active, and necessary health surveillance and testing should be ensured across the state in the next 15 days. He also directed that regular review should be done on how the surveillance system is working.
Bardhan said that committees formed at the district level should not remain limited to only formal meetings. Committees should brainstorm with ground level officials and receive regular information and feedback from their areas. He said this arrangement should not be a one-time exercise but should be developed as a permanent surveillance mechanism.
Chief Secretary gave clear instructions to officials that in future if any such incident happens, strict action will be taken against department heads if negligence is found at first glance. He said responsibility will be fixed in matters related to public health and negligence will not be tolerated at any level.
On this occasion, Secretary Dr Ranveer Singh Chauhan, Dr V Shanmugam, Member Secretary Pollution Control Board Dr Parag Madhukar Dhakate, Chief General Manager Jal Sansthan D K Singh and District Magistrate Nainital Lalit Mohan Rayal along with other senior officials were present through video conferencing.
