Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of three persons who died after consuming contaminated water in Raichur.
Maintaining that the government has taken the deaths seriously, Bommai said he has ordered the Raichur deputy commissioner to test water in every ward of the Raichur city to make sure it is potable and certified for its safety.
Also, he ordered an investigation to see official laxity led to the contamination of water.
The CM has sought a detailed report from the chief engineer of the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB).
“Some say the water got contaminated due to breakage in the pipe following heavy rainfall. So, I’ve asked for a technical report on how and why the water got contaminated,” Bommai said. “I have also ordered a probe to be headed by the deputy police superintendent to identify if any officials are guilty,” he added.
The family members of each of the three deceased will get Rs 5 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF), he said.
The toll rose to three after Noor Mohammed (45), a resident of Arab Mohalla in the city, failed to respond to treatment and died on Sunday night. As many as 63 people are still undergoing treatment at various hospitals in the city.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner L Chandrashekar has issued orders on Monday dismissing city municipal council (CMC) junior engineer Krishna from service on charges of dereliction of duty in connection with the incident.
Peer Pasha dargah issue
When asked about a section of Lingayat seers claiming that the Peer Pasha dargah was built over Anubhava Mantapa, the chief minister said some pontiffs have given him a representation and some documents on remnants of Basavanna’s Anubhava Mantapa being found in the Peer Pasha Dargah in Bidar.
“The Archaeology department will examine this,” Bommai said.