: Though the water is not stagnant, is it safe for lakhs of people to take a holy dip is the million dollar question being asked by all who want to come to Vijayawada during the pushkarams.
Minister for Health Kamineni Srinivas in a statement warned against rumours about high concentrations of E-Coli bacteria in the waters. He said the water quality was being monitored and chlorinated wherever it was required.
Department of Medical and Health spokesperson Aruna Kumari said that ‘edge chlorination’ was being taken up at all the bathing ghats in the city, both upstream and downstream Prakasam Barrage.
Bleaching powder bags that release chlorine into the water have been placed every 100 metres at the bathing ghats. Dr. Kumari said water with chlorine concentration of up to 5 parts per million (ppm) was safe (the international standard is 4 ppm).
She said the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) was entrusted with the task of edge chlorination changing the bleaching power bags every six hours. But if there was a drop of chlorine level in the water even before six hours, the staff would change the bleaching powder bags, she said. She said all samples collected would be sent for bacterial culture testing that would take two days. Once the results come, remedial steps would be taken.
There are also teams physically trying to filter flowers, petals, polythene and other items thrown into the bathing ghats.
While people who take a holy dip fear contacting skin diseases, the organs that are most vulnerable are ear, nose and throat. ENT specialist T.V. Rajini Kanth said that even though it was flowing water the contamination levels were very high. The concentrations of enteric bacteria were very high. Care should be taken to ensure that water did not enter the nose, throat or ears. The nose should be closed with the fingers and the mouth kept shut. Diabetics who were susceptible to fungal attacks should use cotton wool soaked in a little oil to plug their ears. If water enters the mouth by accident the person should immediately rinse their mouth and gargle the throat with salt water, Dr. Rajini Kanth said. The infections that would result were cold and sore throat, upper respiratory system beside diarrhoea. He said people with cold and cough should refrain from taking a holy dip both for the good of others and themselves.
Indian Medical Association (IMA) secretary and pulmonologist M Ravindranath in an advisory said that those who come to take the holy dip should not use toothpaste, oil, soap or shampoo to clean themselves in the river. The fine river silt was the best substance to clean themselves. People should take a dip in the river with clean clothes. They should not wash or rinse their clothes in the river after completing their dip. Those taking the dip should take care not even to spit in river, he said
Do not fall prey to rumours about high concentration of E-Coli bacteria, says Kamineni
