Pudukkottai (TN): Several children reportedly fell ill on Monday after drinking contaminated water from an overhead tank in Vengaivayal village in Tamil Nadu near Annavasal dominated by the SC community. After inspection, officials confirmed that human excreta was found in the upper reservoir tank. The children were taken to Pudukkottai Government Medical College for treatment.
The doctors said that the children fell sick due to the poor quality of the drinking water. District Development Officer and Tahsildar on receiving the information opened the reservoir tank with a capacity of 10,000 litres only to find faeces in the water. A complaint in this regard was filed at the Vellanur police station.
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Enraged locals demanded strict action against the person involved in such malicious activities. Apart from this petitions were given to Gandharvakkottai MLA M. Chinnadurai and District Collector Kavitha Ramu in this regard. Taking cognisance of the matter, Kavitha Ramu promised that a surveillance camera will be installed in the area to prevent such activities from happening in the future.
She even set up a medical camp in the area and listened to the grievances of the local people, who complained of untouchability and caste-based biases in the village. On learning that the SC community was not allowed in the local temple, the District Collector took the villagers inside the temple with security.
