Shimla continues to be in the grip of jaundice

The stoppage of water supply from Ashwani Khud scheme by the Himachal government seems to have no impact on the rising jaundice cases here, as 650 people have been diagnosed with the disease so far.
Official sources peg the number of jaundice patients in Shimla as 650.
Reports have also suggested three deaths from the disease but the Deputy Chief medical Officer, Dr Ranjana Rao today said that only one death from jaundice has been reported in the area.
Rao said that a 32-year woman from Vikas Nagar had succumbed to the disease while the two other deathswere caused due to lever related ailments.

She said that the patients would continue to pour in till first week of February as the incubation period of the disease was two to six weeks.
The spread of jaundice in the area was reportedly attributed to contamination of water source at Ashwani Khud drinking water scheme due to mixing of untreated water from sewerage treatment plants.

The state Health department and Shimla Municipal corporation had asked the Irrigation and Public health (IPH) department to stop supply of water from Ashwani khud and keep the supply suspended till the water was properly treated and was totally free from any sort of contamination.

The Himachal High Court had also taken notice of reports of spread of jaundice and asked all the concerned departments to take effective action to ensure that clean water was supplied to the citizens.
Meanwhile, the Superintendent of Police (SP), Shimla D W Negi today constituted a Special Investigation team (SIT) to go deep into the cause of contamination of water and fix the responsibility for the same.
The SIT will be headed by ASP Sandeep Dhawal with DSP Dushyant Kumar, SI P D Thakur and ASI Desh Raj as its other members.
An FIR in this regard was registered on the complaint of Mayor of Shimla municipal Corporation, Sanjay Chauhan on January 6 last under sections 268, 269, 270 and 436 of IPC and sections 33 and 34 of Pollution control Act.