Tumkur: In a tragic turn of events, the death toll due to drinking contaminated water has risen to six in Chinnenahalli village of Madhugiri taluk in Tumkur. The incident has sparked outrage among the villagers who are blaming the panchayat and taluk administration for their failure to supply clean water.
The state home minister G Parameshwar on Thursday visited Tumkur district hospital and enquired the health of patients. He said officials were instructed to take extra care to supply pure drinking water.
The unfortunate incident took place on Wednesday, claiming the lives of three individuals. Chikkadasappa (76) and Peddanna (74), who were undergoing treatment at the district hospital, succumbed to their illnesses. In addition, three-year-old Meenakshi, who had been admitted to a private hospital in Madhugiri, also lost her life. These recent deaths follow the passing of Hanumakka (85) on June 10, as well as Nagappa (85) and Nagamma (90) on June 11.
Officials have highlighted that it is their responsibility to ensure that drinking water sources are clean and safe for consumption. However, it has been revealed that the overhead tank in Chinnenahalli had not been cleaned for an extended period of time. Consequently, contaminated water was being supplied through taps meant for drinking water. Understandably, villagers are expressing their anger towards officials as they believe those who consumed this same water were admitted to hospitals.
Taking immediate action against these lapses in responsibility and negligence, B.V. Muniraju – the village panchayat development officer – and S.Nagaraju – a waterman – have both been suspended in connection with this incident.
Meanwhile, another village is facing a similar crisis related to contaminated water supply. Veerapally village located in Chintamani taluk of Chikkaballapur district has witnessed four deaths due to vomiting over the past 15 days. Additionally, two individuals remain hospitalized while receiving treatment after consuming suspected contaminated water.
Health department officials along with staff members have taken swift action by camping out in Veerapally village itself. They are currently conducting door-to-door health checks amongst residents while ensuring necessary medical attention is provided promptly if needed. To further address this crisis situation effectively within Veerapally village itself,the health department has established a temporary hospital facility on-site.
The deceased victims from Veerapally include Gangamma (70), Muninagamma (70), Lakshmamma (70),and Narasimhappa (75). An investigation into this matter revealed that drinking water pipes had been installed within drains throughout much of the village causing contamination issues.While these installations should have prioritized cleanliness and hygiene,the negligence displayed by certain village panchayat officials has enraged local residents who feel let down by those responsible for maintaining essential services.
