Bhubaneswar, March 31: Revenue Divisional Commissioner Central Division KB Hota Wednesday directed weekly review of the situation arising out of the outbreak of jaundice in the silver city.
The disease in parts of Cuttack district has given nightmares to the administration as it braces itself to combat the menace.
Hota ordered the Public Health Department (PHD) for replacing the entire worn out dilapidated pipeline systems within one month from now.
By May 15, all the drainage systems is to be ensured cleaned and sanitised, from now on review meetings on the extent of Jaundice attack and resultant measures to curb it would be done every week.” Hota directed.
“Meanwhile regular water samples testing would also be done to stop the health menace before it takes toll as it has done now.” He added.
The outbreak in the city, especially the Ward number 41 Jobra area has created massive problems for the administration.
The administration has launched major preventive measures such as ensuring clean water supply through tankers, distribution of Halogen tablets, mass sanitation awareness programmes, replacement of dilapidated old worn out pipelines, and other renovation works like separating the pipelines from drainage lines.
So far nearly 50 persons have been identified as to have contracted the ailment.
Teams have been deployed for inspecting the extent of pollution levels; the government has also allocated a massive Rs. 380 crore budget for this massive renovation project.
Cuttack Collector, Cuttack Municipal Commissioner, Chief District Medical Officer, Health Officer were among those present in the meeting.
Meanwhile, Cuttack Municipal Corporation has ordered closure of two ice factories in the city.
CMC Food Security Officer issued instructions to close the ice factories in College Square and Madhupatna area.
Sources said ice manufacturing units operate in filthy conditions. They do not have any quality control systems or concerns about hygiene. The units make ice from untreated water drawn from bore-wells or supplied by water tankers.
The units use chemicals to speed up the freezing process and store the huge blocks of ice in squalid storerooms. Wholesalers transport the ice in dirty sacks for sale.
Further, the manufacturing, supply, storage and use of ice are completely unmonitored.
Health experts said sudden spurt in cases of jaundice, may be due to an increase in consumption of beverages chilled with contaminated ice.
