Cuttack, Dec. 12: The Public Health Engineering Organisation (Pheo) today intensified the process of detecting leakages in the drinking water supply lines at Matha Sahi in ward No. 8, where jaundice cases have been detected last week.

Public health department executive engineer Sushant Ghadei said the process of replacement of old pipes passing through drainage channels had started.

A health official said though nine cases of jaundice have been reported from Matha Sahi, no new case has been detected in the last 24 hours.

This is the second time this year that jaundice outbreak has been reported here. Earlier, between March and May the disease had affected nearly 60 persons at Jobra, Mehendipur, Haripur and Kesharpur.

"Though we have not come across any leakages so far, we have started to replace the old pipelines in the affected locality as a precautionary measure," said Ghadei.

Ghadei added that the main supply pipeline has been cleaned thoroughly from two points at Matha Sahi, while chlorination has also been done at nearby localities, including Tulasipur.

Most of the connections are unauthorised, while the pipelines have not been changed at several places for long. This often leads to leakages and subsequent contamination of the entire source.

Councillor Namita Barik, however, said the jaundice outbreak was under control, while tankers had been deployed to supply safe drinking water. "The supply of drinking water in the area affected has been stopped and it is being done through three tankers. The corporation has also started distributing halogen tablets," said Barik.

However, local residents demanded that the municipal corporation and the health department set up camps for proper screening of jaundice cases in the locality.

City health officer P.K. Pradhan said as there had been no rise in jaundice cases, therefore, there was no immediate need to set up a health camp.

"We are closely monitoring the situation and raids on various hotels and road side eateries are being conducted at Matha Sahi and nearby localities on a daily basis," said Pradhan.