Vomitting, diarrhoea and even alleged deaths, drinking water contamination leaves entire village in misery in Kancheepuram
The contamination allegedly went unchecked for the past one week, which resulted in nearly 30 villagers being severely affected and admitted to the Kancheepuram GH and private hospitals in the neighbourhood.
A well in Vaiyavur which is suspected to be contaminated
CHENNAI: The entire population in a village in Kancheepuram are vomitting and have diarrhoea for the past few days due to suspected water contamination which went unchecked for nearly a week, prompting the district administration to suspect the panchayat secretary and a lower-level staffer.
According to the people in Vaiyavur village near Walajabad, more than 500 families there have been having vomitting and diarrhoea for the past one week. The contamination allegedly went unchecked for the past one week, which resulted in nearly 30 villagers being severely affected and admitted to the Kancheepuram GH and private hospitals in the neighbourhood.
The matter came to a head when a 60-year-old woman named Ashwini, who returned home after treatment, died in her house, while another woman who was taking home remedies died on Thursday, sparking panic and outrage among the villagers.
The villagers complained to the Walajabad Panchayat Union officials about the suspected contamination of drinking water. When officials from the district health department inspected the water tanks and wells from which drinking water is being supplied to the people, they found that the tanks and wells were not maintained properly.
On Friday, the Kancheepuram district administration suspended the Vaiyavur village panchayat secretary Baskar and pump operator Pandian for neglecting the maintenance of the water sources. The officials ordered the cleaning of the tanks and wells.
Water contamination is also being reported in the heart of the city, with residents in Choolai and Chintadripet complaining that sewage water was getting mixed with the drinking water supplied to them by the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB).
When asked, a senior official told DT Next that such cases usually happen when roads are dug up for constructing or repairing storm water drains and underground power cables, which damages sewage pipelines and results in drinking water contamination.
