The Cachar District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has issued a public advisory asking residents living along the Jatinga River to avoid using its water for the next 48 hours following a suspected formalin leak caused by a tanker accident.
According to the district administration, a tanker transporting formalin met with an accident near Jatinga Bridge on Saturday. Authorities suspect that some quantity of the chemical may have entered the river, prompting immediate precautionary measures to protect public health.
The DDMA has advised residents not to drink or use the river water for cooking, avoid bathing or entering the river, and ensure that livestock are not allowed to consume the water during the advisory period.
As an additional safety measure, the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department has been directed to temporarily stop drawing water from its drinking water project in the Barkhola Assembly constituency, which sources water from the Jatinga River.
Officials said the situation is under close monitoring, and further decisions will be taken after water quality assessments. Residents have been urged to strictly follow the advisory until fresh instructions are issued.
