Samples collected, sent for testing; sarpanch has no answers
TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
VALPOI: Health officials from Panjim visited Charvane-Sattari on Wednesday and collected water samples from wells in the village, even as the PWD ruled out contamination at the Dabose water treatment plant.
Responding quickly to reports that contaminated water had led to the illness of over 100 people from Zarme, Coporde and Charvane, three remote villages in Sattari, a team from the Epidemiology unit of the health department at Panjim, visited Charvane and collected water samples from different wells in the village.
When contacted, Valpoi Community Health Centre (CHC) Health Officer Dr Shubhangi Parulekar informed that water samples collected from wells at Charvane have been sent to the DHS for testing and the report is awaited. “The exact reason why the residents fell ill will be known only after the report of the samples is available,” added Dr Shubhangi.
Dr Shubhangi admitted that the Valpoi CHC had treated 26 patients since May 19, including four patients who are presently admitted for symptoms like vomiting, fever and diarrhoea. “All the patients who are being treated are not from Charvane but from other villages in Sattari. The situation is under control in Sattari and there is no need for panic,” said Dr Parulekar.
Meanwhile, PWD (water supply) Assistant Engineer Datta Shet on Wednesday ruled out any possible contamination at the Dabose Water Treatment Plant.
Shet along with his team of PWD officials also visited Charvane and inspected wells in the village. “I have inspected the Dabose Water Plant and all the filling points, from where water is supplied to villagers through tankers. We found that the water supplied through taps and tankers is safe for drinking,” stated Shet.
To confirm their observations, PWD officials have sent water sample from the Dabose plant for testing at the Assonora laboratory.
Officials from Community Health Centre Valpoi (CHC) also visited Charvane on Wednesday and inspected wells in the village and collected water samples from all.
Valpoi-based private medical practitioner Dr P G Dalal confirmed to Herald that he had treated over 25 patients from various places in Sattari for symptoms like fever, vomiting and diarrhoea, in the past two days. Another private medical practitioner at Valpoi, Dr Prabhu, said he had attended to about 50 patients from Sattari for similar symptoms.
When contacted, Thane Sarpanch Ankita Gawas, who also resides in Charvane, could not be certain on the reasons why over 100 people from the area had fallen ill.
