CHENNAI: Municipal Administration Minister KN Nehru on Monday dismissed the reports about the death of three persons in Woraiyur in Tiruchy linking it to water contamination. He said the three persons died due to other health issues, and since very recently, pipelines for drinking water were laid at Rs 40 crore, there was no chance of water contamination in that area.
Replying to a discussion on a special mention raised by Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami in the Assembly, Nehru said buttermilk and cold drinks distributed by the public during a temple festival in the nearby areas could have been the cause for diarrhoea and investigations are on to find out the cause.
The minister said seven persons suffered from vomiting and diarrhoea on certain streets in Woraiyar on April 18, and immediately, corporation took disease prevention measures. In all, 53 people are being treated as inpatients and 28 were treated as outpatients through special medical camps. Five of them were moved to government hospitals, and they are well now. Drinking water samples have been collected from six places. Ten surveillance teams have been formed to monitor the situation.
Priyanka, a four-year-old child from Minnappan Street, died on April 19. The preliminary post-mortem report revealed that there was no evidence to prove that the child died of diarrhoea. Lakshmi, a 85-year-old woman, was unwell for 10 days and died on April 19.
Also, Latha (57) died of cardiac arrest on April 18, Nehru said. Since the pipelines for drinking water in the corporation area and in the villages are separate, there is no chance for water becoming the reason for diarrhoea.
However, after the reports, the piped water supply was stopped in these areas, and water is being supplied through tanker lorries. Reports on the analysis of the water samples proved that the water is fit for drinking, Nehru said.