No end to water woes in Raichur

KALABURAGI: Raichur city is still reeling under a water crisis after contamination in the supply claimed 6 lives recently and landed 225 people in hospital.
Another 191 people have received outpatient treatment.
The finger of blame points to the Raichur Municipal Council, accused of negligence in maintaining an old purifying unit from where the water was supplied to the city.
District surveillance officer Dr K Nagaraj said that in total 416 people reported gastro problems. He said: “We had recommended Raichur Municipal Council to purify the water after testing it from a few places a few months ago, but till now it has not done the proper purification.”
Water from the Rampur lake is supplied to the city after purification at a filter unit. Residents have been receiving slightly greenish-coloured water, a sign that it is contaminated. Over the past week, water purification has been shifted from the old unit, from where the contamination was suspected, to a new one.
District in-charge minister Shankar Patil Munenakoppa has given Rs 10 lakh to three families of deceased residents. Compensation is due to three others.
The Death Audit Committee of the Raichur Institute Of Medical Sciences has given a report on the six deaths to the municipal council.
All 36 overhead tanks have been cleaned with bleaching powder and the new purifying unit also has been cleaned.