Bhubaneswar: As the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) at Gurujang in Odisha’s Khurda district was closed down for a week following jaundice outbreak, laboratory test reports reportedly found faecal contamination of water on the school campus.
As per sources, five of the 12 points of water supply at the school complex were suspected to be contaminated. While water samples were collected by Watco from these points, lab reports received by the school on Tuesday pointed to faecal contamination at two points.
The kitchen tap and the overhead tank of the school are stated to be these contaminated points. According to Principal of the school Kabita Kar, the reports stated faecal contamination and ‘confluent growth’ at these two points, indicating a very high concentration of bacteria.
While the school was closed till January 14 and the students were sent home after around 70 of them tested positive for jaundice, the school administration is set to carry out intensive sanitation drive and cleaning of the campus and all water sources during the period of school closure.
Though the school will reopen on January 14, any student who was suffering from fever or any other ailment prior to this date will have to submit a fitness certificate to rejoin school. The practical exams of Class XII students begin on January 15. The school is in touch with Watco, district and municipality authorities for all necessary work to be undertaken.
It was necessary to close down the school as students need to be isolated to break the chain of infection, the principal said.
All 41 water tanks on the campus were cleaned by Watco on Monday. Stating that the school usually conducts water tests and water tank cleaning twice a year in the months of July and December, Kar said the reason behind the faecal contamination will be ascertained and corrective measures taken.
According to Watco general manager Rajendra Nayak, the corporation supplies water to the sump in JNV campus from its district metered area and the chlorination levels are monitored online round-the-clock. From the sump, the water is pumped to the overhead tank, from where it is supplied to various points, including the hostels, kitchen and the academic block, among others.
