Over 10 people from Nuadokanda village and nearby areas in Kanas block have fallen ill with jaundice, suspected to be triggered by contamination in the Daya River, reported news agency IANS on Saturday, January 10. Health officials have issued urgent warnings against using the polluted water, as the river continues to receive untreated wastewater from Bhubaneswar.
Local authorities and medical teams visited the affected villages on Saturday, collected water samples and check patients. Residents report health crises linked to the river’s toxic state, with symptoms including fever, fatigue, and yellowing of the skin.
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Bibek Anurag, Medical Officer at Kanas Community Health Centre, told reporters, “We have collected water samples as well as samples from all suspected cases. At this stage, we can only comment after the conclusive reports are received. Currently, there are three active patients, but they were already receiving treatment...”
Meanwhile, BJD leader Ramaranjan Baliarsingh, who has been vocal on the issue, criticised the government’s inaction. “The government assured the Human Rights Commission in our case that a Wastewater Treatment Plant would be established. However, the DPR for this plant — for which ₹176 crore has been allocated — has not yet been submitted, and work has not begun,” he said.