Rajasthan children deaths: Health department probe points to 'unsatisfactory' quality of water in village wells

Jaipur: The health department and the Sirohi district administration have swung into action and rushed its teams from Jaipur and Jodhpur to Phulabai Kheda and Beraphali village in Pindwara block of Sirohi where five children died due to a "mysterious disease" between April 10 and April 13. One child was rushed to a government hospital in Abu Road for treatment.


The children who did had died complained of fits (convulsions), vomiting, fever and stiffness in body. The deceased children did not have any prolonged history of disease. The sarpanch of the area informed the health officials and district administration about the deaths of the children.

In its probe, the health department found that the water of the wells the villagers are using is of “unsatisfactory” quality.

Also, the health department has received the report of the samples to National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune but all the samples were tested negative for viral or bacterial infection.

“We had sent the samples collected from the children of the village to NIV, Pune. The reports have been received. It has been mentioned in the report that no viral infection was detected in the samples,” said Dr Rajesh Kumar, chief medical health officer (Sirohi).

All the children who died were in the 10-15 age category.

The health department’s teams had conducted door-to-door survey of the houses to identify if more such children are suffering from the same symptoms.

Dr Kumar said, “The situation is under control and no further cases have been reported from the villages.”

During the survey, the health department found wells in the area which villagers use for drinking and for kitchen use.

The health department collected samples of water and sent them to the Mount Abu situated laboratory.

“In the lab report, the quality of water has been found unsatisfactory. We have chlorinated the wells. After chlorination, we have collected the samples again and sent it to the laboratory to find the quality of water after chlorination,” said Dr Kumar.

The villagers are still finding it difficult to believe that the water of wells was the actual cause of children’s death as all the villagers are using water from wells for drinking purposes, while only children had fallen ill.