12 Kolkata: The residents of a condominium complex near New Garia railway station have been living on tenterhooks for the past few weeks after the groundwater supply was found to be contaminated with E coli bacteria. Though the office-bearers of an association that looks after the maintenance of the high-rise buildings assured that timely steps were taken to stem the outbreak, residents are still panic-stricken. Some of them are drinking boiled water or buying packaged drinking water from the market.
Around 1,500 residents staying in 500 flats in the upscale complex are feared to be affected by the outbreak as they solely depend on groundwater. KMC is yet to start supplying safe drinking water to the complex in the New Garia neighbourhood.
According to a senior official in the KMC water supply department, the department was not apprised of the outbreak. "We regularly collect water samples from housing complexes across the city. If we were alerted by the residents of Upohar, we would have tested the water and suggested a proper purification process," he said.
However, Subhasish Banerjee, Upohar (ENC) Association president, claimed that the association took every possible measure to ensure that the outbreak could be tackled efficiently. According to him, the water treatment plant installed at the complex was malfunctioning and adding to water woes. "While it is to be admitted that water sample collected from a tank (among several tanks) was found to be carrying E. coli after testing, prompt measures were taken to ensure that it didn't lead to major health issues," said Banerjee.
However, a section of residents is still apprehensive. "Many residents, especially the aged and the kids, have been complaining about stomach-related diseases, including diarrhoea," said a resident requesting anonymity.