The situation is particularly worrying in EWS-3, which houses contractual workers, Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam staffers and some regular employees
Gurgaon: Three monkeys were found dead inside water tanks at a medical college in Nuh, triggering a health scare. The decomposed carcasses were discovered inside the tanks — at Shaheed Hasan Khan Mewati Govt Medical College — that supply water to residential quarters.The administration termed the incident a “serious lapse” and ordered a probe to fix accountability.Officials estimate that the animals died four to five days ago, raising fears that residents may have unknowingly used contaminated water for drinking, bathing and cooking during that period.The incident came to light after residents of EWS blocks 1, 2 and 3 complained of a strong foul smell in the water on Tuesday, initially dismissing it as routine contamination.However, a formal complaint with the college director prompted an inspection, during which one decomposed monkey was found inside a tank, followed by the recovery of two more carcasses during cleaning operations on Wednesday.Staff members alleged that water tanks are not cleaned regularly and pointed to a persistent monkey menace on campus, claiming that animals frequently damage tank lids and gain access to stored water.
The situation is particularly worrying in EWS-3, which houses contractual workers, Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam staffers and some regular employees.While drinking water is largely sourced from designated coolers, many residents depend on tank water for daily use or filter it through personal RO systems.The issue escalated after a video showing monkeys inside a tank circulated on staff WhatsApp groups, prompting urgent complaints to authorities.Following the intervention of the estate in-charge and engineers, immediate action was initiated. Under the directions of director Dr Mukesh Kumar, the tanks were cleaned and instructions were issued to replace damaged units and install strong iron lids and protective mesh to prevent recurrence.The episode has raised broader concerns given that the college is the only govt medical college in Nuh district, a region already grappling with limited healthcare infrastructure and historically poor health indicators in the Mewat belt.Established to strengthen public healthcare access in one of Haryana’s most underserved districts, the institution caters not only to local patients but also to nearby rural populations.In the past, the college has faced criticism over infrastructure gaps, staff shortages and maintenance issues, although efforts have been made by the state govt in recent years to upgrade facilities. Against this backdrop, the latest incident has once again spotlighted systemic lapses, raising questions about sanitation standards within a key public health institution and the safety of both staff and patients.Reacting to the incident, Nuh MLA Aftab Ahmed said, “It is very unfortunate that such a thing happened in the drinking water tank of a medical college. For such a huge negligence, strict action must be taken against whoever is responsible.” He demanded that the govt constitute a high-level committee to investigate the matter, stressing that the panel must not only probe how such a serious lapse occurred but also fix accountability and recommend strict action against those found guilty, along with concrete measures to improve facilities for public relief.Highlighting the historical importance of the institution as a flagship project envisioned to address the lack of healthcare in the region and named in honour of Shaheed Hasan Khan Mewati, the Congress MLA alleged that the college has faced continuous neglect since 2014, citing persistent shortages of doctors, underutilisation of medical equipment and deteriorating infrastructure.“I have been raising these concerns for the past six years, including in Vidhan Sabha committee meetings,” he said, adding that he immediately spoke with the college director after the incident, who acknowledged the lapse — underscoring the urgent need for systemic reforms alongside the inquiry.
