Most water samples from Muktsar schools fail test

Most water samples from Muktsar schools fail test  

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, October 26
A majority of government schools in Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s home district Muktsar are without safe drinking water.
A Health Department team collected water samples from 73 government schools between April and September, but only two could pass the safety tests. Forty-seven samples failed the test whereas the reports of 24 others are awaited. Chief Medical Officer Dr Charanjeet Singh Brar said, “Fluoride level has been found to be high in the samples collected from these schools. The report has been submitted to the District Education Officer and the Deputy Commissioner for further action.” “We have recommended the schools to either change water source or install reverse osmosis plants,” he said.
Officials who gathered the samples said consumption of contaminated water may lead to vomiting, hepatitis, typhoid, diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases. Contaminated water is also to blame for the increasing cases of cancer in the Malwa region.
District Education Officer Gurinderpal Kaur said, “We have sought funds for installing reverse osmosis plants in schools where they are needed. We will visit these schools to examine the situation.”
Brar said 279 samples had been collected from other areas as well in the district. Of them, 88 failed the test whereas the report of 90 is awaited.

Coutesy: The Tribune