Image Source: TRIBUNE

Nearly two million population of the Jammu region are continuously exposed to water-borne diseases as coliform bacteria have been found in the samples of drinking water being supplied by the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department in J&K.

Coliform, found in environment and feces of animals and humans, indicates recent or continuous contamination of water at source, storage facilities, filtration plants and during distribution, revealing the sorry state of affairs and continued neglect towards public and threatening their health.

Sources said much of the water lifted from the Tawi was polluted and underground sources, which were being exploited by tubewells were also under the threat of contamination due to expanding human population in the past three decades.