Contaminated water case: Death toll rises to 7

Written By DNA Web Team | Updated:

Two more persons died after drinking contaminated water, taking the toll in the case to seven, even as authorities stepped up measures to tackle the issue.

Two more persons died on Wednesday after drinking contaminated water, taking the toll in the case to seven, even as authorities stepped up measures to tackle the issue.

"Seven deaths have been reported so far. The situation is under control," Hyderabad district collector Navin Mittal said. He added that the identity of the latest victims were not yet known.

Five persons, including three children, died and 182 others were hospitalised due to diarrhoea, caused by drinking contaminated water in the Bholakpur area on Tuesday.

The number of people admitted in hospitals has come down with only ten patients being referred for medical treatment on Wednesday, authorities said.
    
Drinking water supply to the area through pipelines has been stopped and water is made available in tankers.

Meanwhile, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) additional commissioner Neetu Prasad began an inquiry into the incident by interacting with locals.

State chief secretary P Ramakanth Reddy, held a high-level meeting on Tuesday to review the situation and directed Prasad to conduct an inquiry into the matter and submit a report in three days.

Leaders of all major political parties, including Praja Rajyam Party founder Chiranjeevi, visited those undergoing treatment at the state-run Gandhi, Niloufer and Fever hospitals.

The main opposition Telugu Desam demanded that the ex-gratia amount of Rs two lakh announced by the government be increased to Rs five lakh.

The party also sought stringent action against officials who failed to respond to the complaints of the residents about contaminated drinking water supply.