On Centre’s advice,govt to ensure safe drinking water in AES-hit areas

“The matter has been examined by an expert group under the chairmanship of director general of Health services,the Government of India,who has advised that as most cases of AES are caused by enteroviruses which spread through contaminated water,the replacement of shallow handpumps by Indian Mark II handpumps would help in controlling the problem of AES in the area,” said the letter.

It also said the Health department alone cannot ensure this and “Jal Nigam and Department of Rural Development would be essential to ensure the access of India Mark II handpumps to each family in the affected area”.

In this regard,a meeting of the state Health officials was called by Chief Secretary Anoop Mishra last week. According to senior medical officers,the Health department has prepared a block and village-wise list of the AES-hit pockets in seven districts of the state,including Gorakhpur,Kushinagar,Maharajganj,Deoria,Basti,Sant Kabir Nagar and Siddharthnagar.

Dr AK Dhawan,Director,Communicable Diseases,UP,said enteroviruses affect the underground water but contaminated water cannot percolate below a layer which is around 20 to 30 feet below the surface. “Unlike shallow handpumps,the India Mark II handpump can draw clean and safe water from the layer which is 40 to 60 feet below the surface,” he explained.

While the government is planning to ensure availability of at least two to three deep boring handpumps in each affected village,it is also considering to set up a Reverse Osmosis (R/O) plant in each village as well,said the officials. The Health department will also be creating awareness about the use of drinking water through these pumps.