ERODE: Six residents of hill villages in Erode district have died in the last fortnight after their health worsened allegedly after drinking stagnant water from the forest streams and water bodies in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR). However, health department officials have said that the exact cause of the deaths will be known once test results are available.
Gowri Ammal, 65, Rangan, 75, Maathi, 80, of Thadasalatti settlement and Maramma, 50 of Mavallam village under Thalamalai village panchayat died due to vomiting and diarrhoea on May 24. Similarly, Marae, 65, from the same village, died on June 5, and Kelan, 60, of Ittarai village, passed away on June 7, allegedly in the same manner. It is suspected that they may have died after drinking water from forest streams and water bodies.
These hill villages are about 20km from Thalavadi.
Sanitation work has now been intensified in these villages. Medical tests are being carried out for the villagers through medical camps. Officials from the health, revenue and food safety departments are in the field.
“Electricity connection to those villages had been disconnected before May 24 due to heavy rains. It is alleged that as drinking water could not be supplied from the borewells, as the motor could not be operated, the villagers used the stagnant water in the forest streams and water bodies for drinking and other purposes. It is suspected that they developed health complications subsequently,” said a police officer. “All the deceased participated in a mourning event at Mavallam before May 24 and dined there. At the same time, a temple festival was held in a nearby village. Everyone went to the festival and ate. We also doubt that they were affected by that food. Further investigations are on,” the officer added.
Officials from the health department said, “Samples from the drinking water they used have been collected for testing. It is possible that the animals drank that water. The complete details will be known after we get the test results. Some symptomatic people are being treated.” S Somasundaram, deputy director of the health department, could not be contacted in this regard.
It is currently raining continuously in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve. Due to this, streams and water bodies are filled with rain water, said sources.