Water-borne diseases hit Butwal severely

Butwal, June 8 (RSS): About 80 percent of patients here, have been found suffering from water-borne diseases.

Such diseases have been on the rise due to the use of contaminated water distributed by Nepal Drinking Water Corporation, Butwal, without purification.

According to medical doctors, patients suffering from jaundice, typhoid, gastro-enteritis, dysentery and fever come in great numbers for treatment.

The corporation distributes about 10 million litres of water a day through 7,500 taps, but the water distributed from Ramphedi tank is found much contaminated.

Some 10 people of the locality depend on a tap on the average.

This was informed at an interaction programme on "Clean drinking water : Problems and challenges" organised by Consumers' Interest Protection Forum (CIPF) the other day.

The local people have been compelled to use the contaminated water distributed through Tinau River after Tinau water treatment plant, set up at a cost of Rs. 8 million last fiscal year to purify and distribute clean drinking water to the locals, completely failed because of not being studied about the natural water flow of the river, the participants pointed out.

Corporation head Govinda Gauchan said the corporation has no way out but supply contaminated water to about half of its consumers of the locality.

It has set a target of establishing a treatment plant in the periphery of Ramphedi within next year, he added.

Gauchan is of the opinion that Sisne Khola masterplan needed to be implemented as early as possible apart from expanding the existing treatment plant in two phases.

Dr. Manohar Joshi of Lumbini zonal hospital said that a number of water-borne diseases have surfaced due to lack of proper balances of essential minerals in water.

The corporation should spend the funds it raises in the form of water tariff to contain the problems faced by the local people, deputy mayor of Butwal Municipality Bimal Bahadur Shakya pointed out.

Chairman of CIPF Norbu Lama accused the corporation of forcing the local people to consume slow poison.

Federation of Nepalese Journalists Rupandehi district president Hari Lamsal was on the chair.

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