41 people hospitalised after consuming contaminated water in Belagavi: Official

At least 41 residents of Chachadi village in Savadatti taluk, about 75 km from Belagavi district headquarters, fell ill after consuming contaminated water supplied from an overhead tank

At least 41 residents of Chachadi village in Savadatti taluk, about 75 km from Belagavi district headquarters, fell ill after consuming contaminated water supplied from an overhead tank, a senior official said.

Officials said that the contamination occurred when drain water seeped into cracked pipelines (File photo)

Belagavi district health officer (DHO) Dr Mahesh Koni said: “Forty-one people began experiencing symptoms from Monday night and Tuesday morning. Among them, three people are in critical condition and have been rushed to the Government District Hospital in Belagavi, while the others are receiving treatment at nearby Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in Savadatti taluk.”

He further said that the three critical patients include a 63-year-old Iravva Gaalimath, who is currently in the ICU, with two others in special care wards in Belagavi.

After visiting the hospitals, he said: “The outbreak was caused by contaminated water supplied through underground pipelines connected to an overhead tank. The patients exhibited symptoms of vomiting and dehydration, indicative of severe waterborne infection. They were provided with IV fluids to combat dehydration and weakness. The situation is now under control, with all affected individuals showing signs of recovery after treatment.”

He further said that medical teams will remain stationed in the village until the situation stabilises and the villagers have been advised to drink only boiled water to prevent further infections.

Savadatti taluk panchayat executive officer Yashwant Kumar, who is also on-site, said the first cases appeared on Monday evening, with more residents seeking treatment on Tuesday morning. He explained that the overhead tank is filled with water from borewells, which is then distributed to homes through underground pipelines.

“The contamination occurred when drain water seeped into cracked pipelines. Water became polluted due to these cracks, and residents fell ill after drinking the water just before repair work began,” Kumar said.

However, the villagers have refuted these claims, accusing local officials of negligence. They asserted that they had informed both gram and taluk panchayat representatives about the damaged pipelines over a week ago, but no action was taken. Appasab Patil, a social worker from Chachadi, pointed out that residents had been experiencing health issues for a week prior to the outbreak.

He accused the officials of misleading the government by claiming the outbreak began only on Monday evening. Patil cited hospital records as evidence of earlier cases.

“The pipelines were only repaired after the number of infections surged on Monday evening,” he said, adding that the incident could have been avoided had the repairs been carried out sooner.

In response, CEO Yashwant Kumar assured that once the pipelines are fully repaired, the water supply would be safe. He detailed the process of refilling the overhead tank and clearing clogs in the pipelines by gradually increasing water pressure.

Belagavi deputy commissioner Mohammed Roshan confirmed that all affected people are recovering and should be able to return to their daily activities by Wednesday. “I have instructed the relevant departments to ensure such incidents do not recur,” he said.