Chandigarh, Aug 4 (IANS): Haryana's Civil Secretariat here had an experience of a different kind on Tuesday when Health Minister Anil Vij went to the rooftop to inspect water tanks. Needless to say, the minister found that the tanks had not been cleaned for a long time.

Vij inspected the overhead water tanks installed on the rooftop of the Haryana Civil Secretariat -- the seat of power of the Haryana government in Sector 1 -- and directed the concerned officers to take samples of the water.

"Officers of the Public Health Engineering Department of Haryana and the Chandigarh administration were also present," a Haryana government spokesman said here.

"By looking at the water in the tanks, it seems as if the tanks had not been cleaned since long. Algae, silt and layers of rust were found and there was always a fear of outbreak of diseases," Vij remarked after his inspection.

Expressing serious concern at the neglect of the tanks, which supply drinking water to hundreds of government staff and visitors to the secretariat, Vij said contaminated water was the main cause of diseases like diarrhoea.

Vij said directions were issued to clean water tanks installed in all schools, colleges, hotels, bus stands and public places across Haryana within one week.

"After this, samples of water tanks would be checked and in case if a sample fails, action would be initiated against the head of the concerned institution," the minister said.