As cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) continue to rise in areas like Dhayari, Kirkatwadi, Nanded Gaon, Nanded City, and Ambegaon, health authorities are focusing on the possibility of water contamination as a potential source of the disease. While the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is investigating the water supply from a well in Nanded, which serves as the primary water source for these regions, there is another critical issue at hand: the lack of regulation and oversight of private water tankers delivering water to these areas.
The private tankers, which are widely used by residents in the affected regions, are not registered with the PMC, nor are they subject to any inspections or regulatory measures. Consequently, the origins of the water being delivered remain unknown, and there is no guarantee that it meets health and safety standards. This unregulated distribution system has created a significant gap in the public health response, especially as authorities focus primarily on testing and monitoring the public water supply without addressing the potential risk posed by these private tankers.
In the absence of proper monitoring or records for these private suppliers, residents have no way of knowing whether the water they are consuming is contaminated or unfit for consumption. As many of these areas fall under the expanded jurisdiction of the PMC, which does not provide purified water, the reliance on private tankers has grown significantly. Without proper oversight or verification, there is a growing concern that the unregulated water supply could be contributing to the spread of GBS in these communities.