Three deaths, allegedly due to consumption of contaminated water, have left residents of a Dalit colony at Kavadigara Hatti in Chitradurga district in shock and despair. Even four days after the first death was reported, many people, including children, continue to complain of illness.
Manjula, 25, Raghu, 26, of Kavadigara Hatti and Praveen of Vaddara Siddanahalli near Chitradurga died in the last four days.
Manjula was admitted to a hospital on the night of July 30 after she complained of erratic bowel movement. She succumbed the next day. She is survived by her husband and two-year old daughter Sakshi, who is also under treatment.
Raghu had returned to Bengaluru, where he worked in a private firm, on July 31. He died on August 1.
Praveen, who had visited his relatives in Kavadigara Hatti on July 30, died later at Vaddara Siddanahalli.
Raghu’s mother Vimalamma was in tears. “My son had come to put his signature for a bank document. Within hours after returning to Bengaluru, he developed health complications and died,” she said. Raghu is survived by his mother and two sisters. His sister Ashwini’s three children have fallen sick and are undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Davangere.
Nearly 100 persons are undergoing treatment in different hospitals. An ambulance has been allotted to the village. The ambulance took at least five patients to hospitals on August 3.
“It is a mystery. Nobody has understood why our people are falling ill. I don’t know how many more have to be hospitalised,” said Manju, a villager.
As the reason for the illness is not clear, the residents remain worried.
“When we sit to have food, the recent deaths and the images of children undergoing treatment come before us. I have not been able to take food, as we are not sure what will happen next. We are not sure if we are drinking safe water,” said Maala, Manjula’s sister.
Villagers block movement of vehicles on highway
The residents of the village are expressing their anger by stopping vehicles on the bypass that connects NH-13 and NH-4. They allege that the district administration failed to respond to the woes of residents which they attribute to supply of contaminated water.
The villagers allege that the administration has not taken necessary steps to provide sufficient potable water and food to the affected families.
No trace of poison
The FSL report of the samples of water collected from the locality and the viscera of the dead did not show any traces of poison. Chitradurga SP K. Parashuram told The Hindu that the tests of samples conducted in SFL in Davangere did not show traces of poison.
“We had sent samples of water collected from the locality and the house of the patients. We had also sent the viscera of the dead for examination,” he said.
