Toddler's death: Either fence area around post office or shift facility, demand Kollidam residents

MAYILADUTHURAI: In the wake of a two-year-old boy, who accompanied his mother to the post office, allegedly drowning in the South Rajan channel running next to it, demands have risen to install protective fencing along the public facility or to shift it.

A Amaran of Sengalmedu allegedly slipped and fell into South Rajan channel while his mother was away at the post office nearby around noon on Monday. The flow in the irrigation channel splitting from the Kollidam was high following the discharge of about 2 lakh cusecs into the river from Mettur dam early this week. The toddler’s body was recovered downstream of the channel, around two kilometres away from the post office, a few hours later.

The death sparked concerns on the safety of those public visiting the post office daily. V Viswanathan, a farmer representative from Kollidam block said, "Several people visit the post office every day for various purposes. There are chances for a repeat of the drowning incident as people having to visit the post office may bring their children along.

Either the post office must be moved to a safer locality or some protective fencing should run for a few hundred metres along the channel.” Meanwhile, revenue officials inspected the spot where the boy fell into the channel on Wednesday.

They suggested that some kind of protective structure preventing the public from falling into the channel be set up. While there is already a metal structure running along the channel for a few metres, the spacing in between is wide enough for children to easily fall through it.

When enquired, an official from the PWD-WRO, which maintains the South Rajan channel, said, “We do not have any plans for setting up protection fencing along the channel. We may, however, plan to do so in future."