Srinagar, July 12: About 61 percent of drinking water in the hospitals of North Kashmir supplied by the Public Health Engineering department is unsafe for drinking, reveals a study conducted by Integrated Diseases Surveillance Project (IDSP).
 Sources said the IDSP team after collecting the water samples from various hospitals of the twin districts of Baramulla and Kupwara found that the water was contaminated with impurities making it harmful for health.
 “The samples collected by IDSP were put to test at District Public Health laboratory Chogal Handwara and 61 percent of the water was found impure in all the hospitals. The water in these hospitals is a serious health hazard,” sources privy to the laboratory tests told Greater Kashmir, adding the IDSP was working under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).
 It was for the first time that IDSP has collected water samples from 41 hospitals of North Kashmir including two district hospitals and the water was found unfit for the drinking purposes, sources added.
 Various social groups have expressed concern over the contaminated water being supplied to the hospitals.
 “I am mulling to file a Public Interest Litigation against PHE department for providing contaminated water to people”, said
 Public Interest Litigation Forum convenor, G M Wani said.
 Pertinently, the World Health Organization in its surveys has found that the consumption of unsafe drinking water was responsible for 1.9 million deaths a year while 64.2 million years of life get lost as result of premature deaths or illness due to unsafe water.
 When contacted, Director Health Services Kashmir, Dr Saleem-ur-Rehman told Greater Kashmir,  “I have issued instructions to all the Chief Medical Officers and Block Medical Officers to use filters in the hospitals to ensure safe drinking water supply to hospitals,”
 He, however, said he would collect the laboratory report within a day and would be then in a position to confirm the actual percentage of the water contamination. 

Lastupdate on : Tue, 12 Jul 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 12 Jul 2011 18:30:00 GMT
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