Tragedy: School students died... Unhygienic Water..!?
Four people, including a boy and a girl from a government school, died of jaundice due to improper maintenance of the overhead water tank near Sayalkudi in Ramanathapuram. More than 5 thousand palm workers live in the Kannarajapuram panchayat near Sayalkudi. Open water wells have been constructed there by the panchayat administration and drinking water is being distributed to various areas including Rochma nagar and Bugri Puchiman residences under the panchayat. However, there was an allegation that not only were the drinking water supply tanks distributed by the panchayat administration open with garbage without proper maintenance but also the drinking wells were not properly protected.
In particular, it was said that poisonous plants grow near drinking wells and various health hazards are caused by constructing toilets near drinking wells. In this case, Akash, a 9th standard student at Kannarajapuram government Higher Secondary school, Amsavalli, a 12th standard student in the same school, Rathi (32) from the same area and Vetrivel (36), a palm worker from the same area were treated for jaundice due to drinking unhygienic drinking water distributed from the overhead reservoir tank.
Therefore, they have demanded that the officials of the regional transport department should investigate and take action against the tanker vehicles that are operating in violation of the rules and the panchayat union officials should come forward to provide safe drinking water to the public on behalf of the panchayat administration. They have also requested the tamil Nadu government to provide compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the deceased.