The Hindu    27.08.2012

‘No water contamination in Mela Chinthamani area’

Extensive checks conducted by the Tiruchi Corporation has revealed that there was no contamination in the drinking water supplied to residential colonies in Mela Chinthamani area, where some children were said to be showing symptoms of jaundice over the past few days.

The corporation believes it has reason to suspect that the problem was caused by food contamination, especially through eatables consumed by the children, and has decided to write to the school heads in the city asking them to curtail the sale of fruits and other eateries under unhygienic conditions around their premises.

Surveillance

The corporation doctors took up surveillance in the area over the past couple of days after several children in the area were reported to be down with fever.

The civic body had even disconnected drinking water supply to the households as a preventive measure and to check for possible water contamination.

Corporation Commissioner V.P.Thandapani told The Hindu on Sunday that the measures have ruled out any water contamination.About sixteen children, most of them in their early teens, were showing symptoms of jaundice.

Enquiries with them have revealed that most of them have consumed eatables, including fruits such as guava, sold outside their school campus; Mr.Thandapani said and added that the Corporation would take up a drive to check the sale of eatables in unhygienic conditions.

“We will also write to the schools asking them to curb the sale of eatables outside their premises under unhygienic conditions,” he added.