Chennai news: One person died and 23 others were hospitalised on Thursday following suspected water contamination after drinking water got mixed with sewage in the Pallavaram area of Chennai. Residents reported symptoms of severe stomach ache, vomiting and diarrhea after consuming the water.
The affected individuals were rushed to Chromepet Government Hospital for treatment. The incident occurred in the Kamaraj Nagar area, within the Tambaram Corporation's 13th ward, sparking concern among locals and prompting immediate action from authorities.
Following the outbreak, Minister TM Anbarasan visited the site for an inspection and ordered the establishment of a medical camp to provide relief to the affected residents. Speaking to the media, the minister stated, as per a report on Daily Thanthi, "At present, it does not appear that drinking water is the primary cause. We are also investigating if the food consumed could be the source of contamination. If it was the water, the entire area would have been impacted."
Condemning the incidents that led to the tragedy, AIADMK chief Edappadi Palaniswami said, "Drinking water is a very basic thing; It is the duty of the government to distribute it with utmost care. When the storm has passed the shore, government should have ensure that the drinking water was being supplied properly without it getting mixed with drinking water and sewage pipes."
"Without ensuring that, government is gambling with the lives of the people with unsanitary drinking water. My strong condemnation to MK Stalin's DMK Govt," he said.
The Leader of Opposition also insisted the government provide compensation to the kin of the deceased, ensure that proper treatment is provided for the affected, and provide quality drinking water to people across TN.