JAIPUR: Three borewells which were being used for supplying water for drinking purposes at a coaching institute in Jawahar Nagar, where a NEET aspirant who was studying at the same coaching centre had allegedly died of hepatic encephalopathy, have been closed, after health department officials allegedly found that the water supplied to the coaching institute was contaminated.
"The tankers were used for supplying water from borewells to the coaching institute and the students were drinking the same water. It has been found that the water was contaminated, following which all the three borewells which were supplying water to the institute were contaminated," said Dr Jagdish Soni, Kota chief medical and health officer (CMHO).
The student who had died was identified as Vaibhav Roy, a native of West Bengal and living in Kota for the past several years. Not only him but more than 35 students have been diagnosed with Hepatitis- A.
"Since Hepatitis A is transmitted through fecal-oral route, it is suspected that the water supplied by tankers to the coaching institute was contaminated with sewage water," said Dr Soni.
The health department officials also pointed out that they have also found some flaws in the coaching institute in providing clean water, which they have now rectified. "They are now providing water through their own borewells. We have also ensured that they chlorinate the water first and use UV lampe water treatment and filter for providing clean water to the NEET aspirants coming for coaching," said Dr Soni.
Besides, the health department has also roped in Public health and engineering department (PHED) in the effort to bring the situation under control.
Health department officials said that PHED officials are collecting samples and getting them tested. Also, they have again collected samples of water from the same coaching to check if the quality of water is safe for drinking in the institute.