SRIKAKULAM: Residents of the remote village of D Matsalesam in Etcherla mandal have been suffering from multiple health issues owing to poor quality of drinking water.
RWS authorities have already certified that the water of as many as 15 out of the total 21 tubewells in the village is not fit for drinking.
During a recent survey, the health officials found as many as 47 chronic kidney ailment cases, 26 thyroid, 40 hepatitis and seven cancer cases in the village.
The residents blame it on the Vaisakhi Bio-marine Hatcheries Limited which has been running its unit nearby the village for the last two and a half decades.
They had lodged a complaint at the Grievance Cell in the collectorate, alleging that the company was releasing its waste directly into the sea through a canal passing through the village, contaminating the ground water.
Following the complaint, collector P Lakshmi Narasimham had ordered a survey.
“A comprehensive health survey was conducted in May last year in D Matsalesam, Rallapeta, K Dibbalapalem, K Matsalesam and Shivaji Dibbalapalem. Around 500 people were found with very high creatinine levels and many others suffering from hepatitis, cancer, thyroid and other problems,” said M Rama Rao, a resident of D Matasalesam, adding that five people have died of CKD so far, while another four are on regular dialysis procedure.
Further in the recent survey, it was found that many of the residents in the area had adverse health parameters.
“We conducted a random survey in five villages in D Matsalesam panchyat and identified around 30 pyelonephritis cases, 30 kidney diseases, 20 Hepatitis B cases, 50 diabetes and general ailments in many households,” said Ponnada PHC doctor Bala Sundaram, who was a part of the survey team.
However, he said that being a medicine professional, he could not comment on the ground water pollution.
“With no alternatives, villagers continue to drink the water, which is leading to contract many infections. The hatchery management has been negligent in taking precautionary measures to prevent the ground water contamination by the debris let out by the unit,” alleged M Ramulu, village head of D Matsalesam.
Taking the health concerns of the local people into account, the authorities are gearing up to set up an RO plant, in collaboration with the local hatchery. They have made a few precautionary measures to curb the ground water contamination and the company officials laid a pipeline to let out the debris before purifying the waste with the ETS system.
“The ground water of this area is getting contaminated owing to several reasons. As many as 15 hand bores of the total 21 are unfit for drinking. Now, we are planning to set up RO plants in all five villages of the panchayat for which Rs 26.1 lakh has been earmarked," said RWS executive engineer P Ravi, adding that three plants would start dispensing water by April 10.
However, hatchery officials rubbished the allegations made by the villagers.
“The water being let out by the unit is not hazardous as it is used to clean baby prawns. Before the release, we purify the waste water with ETS system,” said D Satyam, an official of the hatchery.