Greater Noida residents fall ill after drinking 'contaminated' water: Report

SEveral residents of Greater Noida’s Delta 1 sphere reportedly drop badly after allegedly overwhelming polluted drinking water, officials said.People living in parts of the area complained of health problems after using tap water. Residents reported symptoms such as vomiting, fever, stomachache and loose motion after consuming tap water in parts of the sector on Tuesday and Wednesday, news agency PTI reported.However, officials from the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) dismissed claims of sewage contamination. They said water samples collected from the area were tested and no impurity was found in the supply so far.Rishipal Bhati, a resident and former president of the local residents' welfare association (RWA), told PTI on Thursday that overflow of sewage and leakage in pipelines, particularly in C Block, led to the problem.“Around six to seven families fell ill with symptoms such as vomiting, fever and loose motion after consuming contaminated water,” he said, adding that similar complaints had earlier surfaced from other blocks as well.Also read| Doctors, startups discuss use of Artificial Intelligence in hospital at GIMS Greater NoidaHarendra Bhati, another resident of nearby Beta 1 sector, said sewage overflow was a common problem in several areas of Greater Noida. “I have raised this issue many times, but no permanent solution has been put in place,” he said.The incident comes amid heightened concern over water safety following recent reports from Indore in Madhya Pradesh and Gandhinagar in Gujarat, where contaminated water was linked to illness and deaths. Authorities in several states have since intensified monitoring of drinking water sources.GNIDA officials said they acted promptly after receiving complaints on Wednesday. A team from the water department visited the affected houses and collected samples. “The samples were found to be clean. A supply connection issue in one house and a leak at another location were identified and fixed immediately,” a senior official said.Also read| Wrong-side driving and pollution topped Noida violationsGreater Noida Authority chief executive officer N G Ravi Kumar has ordered random water testing across the city as a precautionary measure. Additional CEO Sunil Kumar Singh said fresh samples were collected on Wednesday evening after water supply resumed and would be sent for testing.Singh added that builders and apartment owners’ associations have been asked to regularly clean water reservoirs, get samples tested and submit reports to the authority. A letter will also be issued to residents, urging them to report any instance of suspected contamination without delay.Meanwhile, the health department organised a free medical camp in Delta 1 on Wednesday. Gautam Buddh Nagar chief medical officer Narendra Kumar said 23 people were examined, and seven patients suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea were treated at the camp.