Two siblings aged 5 and 3 died and 14 other children have been hospitalised after they consumed contaminated water supplied by municipal authorities in Firozabad. Similarly, 13 more children have complained of vomiting and diarrhoea.
The deceased were identified as Vicky and his younger sister Lakshmi. Both of them died on the way to an Agra-based hospital. The condition of the hospitalised children is said to be critical.
Residents of Anand Nagar in the district claimed that the deaths were a fallout of the civic body’s failure to repair the damaged drinking water pipeline that has been leaking for nearly three weeks.
Taking cognisance of the deaths, the district administration rushed a team of doctors to Anand Nagar and set up a camp to examine residents. District magistrate Chandra Vijay Singh and mayor Nutan Rathore visited the children in the hospital and assured them necessary assistance. They also visited the area to take stock of the situation.
Firozabad assistant chief medical officer Dr Vinod Kumar said, “A total of 113 people were checked in the medical camp, out of which 14 were immediately admitted to a hospital. Similarly, 13 other children complained of vomiting and diarrhoea.”
He said, “The water supplied to Anand Nagar residents is not fit to drink as it has a foul smell and is dark in colour. We have provided chlorine tablets to all households in the area and warned residents to be cautious.”
Dr Vinod Kumar said, “Vicky and Lakshmi died after they consumed contaminated water. They had vomiting and diarrhoea.”
The DM said, “We have launched an inquiry into why non-potable water was supplied to the area. The hospital authorities have been asked to provide all necessary help to the victims.”
2 siblings died, 27 children ill after drinking contaminated water in Firozabad
