Residents in several parts of Rohtak and Jhajjar have raised a massive hue and cry over the deteriorating quality of potable water being supplied to their homes. For the past few days, households have reported receiving “blackish, foul-smelling” water, leading to a surge in waterborne diseases and sparking protests against the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED).
The Extent of the Crisis The issue is particularly severe in areas like Sectors 1, 2, and 4 in Rohtak, and the Old City areas of Jhajjar.
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The Complaints: Residents allege that the water is visibly contaminated with sewage or industrial waste. “We cannot use this water even for washing clothes, let alone drinking or cooking. It smells like a drain,” said a representative of the Rohtak Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA).
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Health Impact: Local clinics have reported an uptick in cases of diarrhea, skin rashes, and stomach infections, particularly among children and the elderly.
Potential Causes While an official statement from the department is awaited, preliminary reports suggest two major possibilities:
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Pipeline Leakages: Ageing water pipelines that run parallel to sewage lines may have developed cracks, leading to cross-contamination.
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Source Pollution: High levels of pollution in the JLN (Jawaharlal Nehru) Canal or the Western Jamuna Canal, which are the primary sources for these districts, due to the discharge of untreated waste upstream.
Administrative Response Following the outcry, officials from the Public Health Department have started collecting water samples from different points for lab testing.
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Interim Measures: The administration has promised to deploy water tankers in the most affected colonies.
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Official Word: “We are investigating the source of the contamination. If it is a pipeline leak, repairs will be initiated on a war footing. We urge residents to boil water before use as a precaution,” a senior executive engineer stated.
Public Demands Frustrated residents have threatened to stage a “Gherao” (protest) at the DC office if the problem is not resolved within 48 hours. They are demanding a complete audit of the water distribution network and the immediate cleaning of overhead storage tanks.
