PUDUKKOTTAI: Residents of Vengaivayal at Muttukkadu panchayat in the district were thrown into a state of panic on Monday after human excrement was discovered in the lone overhead tank supplying potable water to the village dominated by the Scheduled Caste (SC) community. The Vellanur police have registered a case and are inquiring into the incident.
Residents of the village, comprising 30-odd families, told TNIE that the excrement was spotted in the tank after a local doctor suggested checking for contamination in the water supply. This follows the hospitalisation of three children over the past few days, villagers pointed out.
Subha A, a villager said, “On December 16, a three-year-old boy from the village was admitted to Pudukkottai Government Medical College Hospital. A five-year-old girl and a girl aged 2.5 years were hospitalised in the subsequent days. A doctor advised us to check whether the water was contaminated.”
Kannadasan K, another villager, said, “The water smelt different over the past few days, and we found human excreta dumped in the water tank on Monday morning.”
While villagers said they don’t suspect anyone in particular, they added that it would take at least two men to lift the cement lid off the water tank. When enquired, Muttukkadu panchayat president M Padma said the village got the 10,000-litre tank only in 2017 after a years-long struggle with water issues. We suspect ill intent behind the incident and submitted a formal complaint with the Vellanur police on Monday, Padma added.
Gandharvakkottai MLA M Chinnadurai, who inspected the tank and held enquiries, said, “It appears to be an act of miscreants. We have arranged an alternative water source for the villagers and have urged police officials to take up the case seriously. We are taking all measures to help the affected villagers.” District revenue department sources said they have taken note of the incident and added that an inquiry will follow.
Pudukkottai town DSP G Raghavi pointed out that the panchayat president has submitted a complaint about the incident and promised to investigate all angles in the case.