and foodgrade dealers in ice and shopkeepers using ice had another story to tell sachin gupta runs a juice stall at ito although he claims the ice he uses is safe he maintains that different grades of ice are available we use only foodgrade ice you have ice for storing fish and meat or for cooling beverages which is cheaper said gupta dr pal said only foodgrade ice was available in the city the ice is clean but if you store the ice slabs in unhygienic conditions it might get contaminated he added he claims that even ice being brought in from other states is licensed doctors say icelollies made from crushed ice are a major source of waterborne diseases the ice is of dubious quality and invariably children get affected said dr d k bhattacharya a general physician but the biggest menace he feels is unclean drinking water water trolleys mcd officials claim that water trolleys were safe as they used corporation water they however could not explain how these factories were safe from a simple thing like a breach in the pipes contaminating water they say weekly quality tests are carried out at the plants though according to the health guidelines these should be done everyday we visit trolleys selling water and test for the presence of chlorine said pal shankar a water vendor at rajghat was yet to meet an mcd official conducting tests maybe they will start next month when the summer really takes off he said but he claimed to be making a good profit at present municipal health officer dr k n tiwari said water from a trolley was unsafe only if the vendor mixed it with contaminated water he said those found flouting the law were challaned and their trolleys seized according to bhattacharya while no cholera cases have been reported so far gastroenteritis had started making an appearance agreed gosavi three cases per 10 patients are that of gastroenteritis i expect the number to shoot up as the summer progresses doctors warning health experts say not paying heed to safe eating habits could prove to be costly cut fruits salads and contaminated water are sure shot sources of infection they say cholera contracted through the faecooral route cholera is the most infectious of waterborne diseases once inside the human body the bacteria multiplies rapidly and produces a toxin that induces diarrhoea common culprits are cut fruits and sugarcane juice sold at roadside vends the alarming symptoms are excessive vomiting and ricewater diarrhoea the patient starts losing body fluids so fast that if it is not replenished the condition could be fatal typhoid one of the most severe waterborne diseases typhoid is caused by the bacteria salmonella typhi which enters the body through the faecooral route flies are a carrier and might contaminate uncovered food typhoid is characterised by highgrade fever and chills the disease may also spread if food is