Health scare in Cuttack: CMC seals water bottling unit for selling untreated water

The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) on Wednesday sealed a water bottling facility in Shankarpur Dasasahi following allegations that the company was distributing untreated water without proper purification measures.

Acting on complaints about the facility's lack of water treatment infrastructure and legal documentation, the CMC’s health department conducted a surprise inspection and immediately shut down the unit after ‘verifying the violations’.

Sources reported that the raid was led by municipal health officials, who found that the company was bottling water in large quantities and distributing it to local markets without any filtration or disinfection, posing a serious health risk to the public.

Health Risks Heighten Amid Ongoing Disease Outbreaks

The action comes amid growing concerns over a statewide outbreak of waterborne diseases, particularly cholera and diarrhoea.

Public health officials have warned that contaminated water sources are a primary contributor to the recent surge in cases, prompting stricter enforcement of food and water safety norms across Odisha.

Yesterday, CMC launched a hygiene inspection drive across hotels and eateries in the Station Bazar area, a densely populated area near Cuttack Railway Station. Two hotels were sealed for unhygienic food practices, unsafe water usage, and failing to meet sanitation standards.

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Outbreaks Spread Beyond Initial Epicentres

Meanwhile, the initial cluster of cholera cases reported from Jajpur district has now spread to at least six other districts, including Cuttack.

A new cluster was recently detected in Sundari village under Tangi-Choudwar block, where 15 residents were hospitalised over the weekend with acute symptoms. Some are currently under observation at SCB Medical College and Hospital.