The Punjab Government with a view to sensitize all the panchayats of the state regarding the usage of safe and clean drinking water conducted a consistent sensitization campaign under the name of “Diarrhoea Control Fortnight” from 10 to 25 July. During this campaign which was observed as part of Mission Tandarust Punjab, sensitization camps were organised at the rural area of the state.Disclosing this official spokesperson of the Water Supply and Sanitation Department said that this “Diarrhoea Control Fortnight” was observed with the close coordination of health and Family Welfare Department and Women and Child Development Department. He said that during the course of this sensitization programme camps were organised by the employees of the department at villages, schools and colleges to generate awareness about the usage of safe and clean drinking water. He said that the department also held camps to sensitize members of Gram Panchayat, Youth Club, Cooperative Societies and NGOs. The spokesman said that during the camps the participants were made aware about the various kinds of ailments and diseases caused due to use of contaminated water similarly they were sensitize to adopt healthy lifestyle and use clean and safe drinking water. They were also sensitize about the preventive measures which may be taken to avoid Diarrhoea.
The spokesperson said that every year minimum 1.7 billion cases of diarrhoea are reported at world level out of which 7,60,00 children below the age of five year died of diarrhoea. He said that the main reason of malnutrition of children under the age of five is diarrhoea and this diarrhoea is also the second biggest reason for death of the children below the age of five year.He said that Water Supply and Sanitation Department is whole heartedly working at the grass root level to provide safe and potable drinking water to every household in the rural area of the state. He said that the water which is being supplied by water works is purified by the process of chlorination so that the citizen vector borne diseases could be avoided to spread in the rural area.The spokesman said that for the testing of water the department has setup quality check up laboratories in all the districts of the state. He said that in these laboratories quality of the water is tested on different parameters before its supply to the citizen.He said that the Department is also conducting capacity building programmes for the Gram Panchayats and Water Supply and Sanitation Committees in order to train them on the aspects of safe drinking water. He said that 5670 water supply schemes are being implemented to Gram Panchayats. He said that the department has been successful in providing 24X7 water supply to 126 villages whereas 10 hours daily water supply is provided to 2265 villages through various water supply schemes.