Faith versus flood fear at Kerala's Idukki dam
Idukki (Kerala), July 31: The Idukki dam, where the water level is inching up towards the danger level, has come to symbolise the tenuous ties between faith and the fear of floods. A 'puja' was performed on Tuesday, praying for the dam gates to remain shut so that nearby areas escape flooding. The last time the gates were opened was in 1992.
All this while the water level stood at 2,395 metres, just 4 meters below the danger level, prompting the authorities to issue an 'orange alert.'
According to a legend, it was Chemban Karuvellayan Kolumban, the head of 'Oorali' race in 1922, identified the present spot of the dam located between the Kuravan and Kurathi granite hills.
Those who were responsible for constructing the dam were impressed by the sight of water flow between the mountains.
But the construction of the dam began in 1969. A power station was commissioned on February 12, 1976 by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
The authorities decided to honour Kolumban by erecting a memorial in his honour near the dam. The 'puja' was performed on Tuesday by his grandson, Bhaskaran.
"The Electricity Board authorities donated the money for the puja. Every one prayed that if the dam shutters were to be opened, there should be no problem to anyone, as the water would rush downstream," said Bhaskaran.
State Minister for Water Resources Mathew T.Thomas is making all arrangements to see that everything is in order. He told reporters in Idukki on Tuesday that in case the shutters are opened, first on a trial basis, "there should be nothing that should go wrong."
The residents living in and around the low-lying areas of downstream have already been alerted. The district authorities have made elaborate arrangements and a 1,000-strong police force is camping in the area to tackle any eventuality.
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Andhra milk contamination: Death toll rises to 13, seven undergoing treatment
Rajamahendravaram (Andhra Pradesh)(PTI): The death toll in the suspected milk adulteration incident in East Godavari district has risen to 13, while seven persons continue to receive treatment at hospitals in Rajamahendravaram, an official said on Thursday.
Health department officials said the cluster of cases was first noticed on February 22 after several elderly residents were admitted to hospitals with symptoms such as anuria, vomiting, abdominal pain and acute renal dysfunction requiring dialysis.
Residents from Chowdeswaranagar and Swaroopanagar areas of Lalacheruvu reportedly fell ill after consuming milk suspected to be adulterated and supplied in the locality.
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"The death toll in the suspected milk adulteration case in East Godavari district has reached 13, while seven persons are undergoing treatment at hospitals in Rajamahendravaram," the official said.
Authorities noted that strong epidemiological indicators point towards milk adulteration as the probable cause and multiple departments have initiated coordinated action.
Medical examinations revealed elevated levels of blood urea and serum creatinine among the affected persons, suggesting possible toxic exposure, they said.
Preliminary investigations indicated milk consumption as the main source of exposure. The milk was reportedly supplied to nearly 106 families by Varalakshmi Milk Dairy in Narasapuram village of Korukonda mandal, following which the supply was immediately halted.
Emergency medical camps have been set up in the affected localities with doctors and ambulance services deployed round the clock, officials said.
Rapid Response Teams comprising the district surveillance officer, physicians, microbiologists, paediatricians, forensic experts, epidemiologists and nephrologists were constituted to handle the situation.
Meanwhile, the Food Safety Department inspected the dairy unit linked to the supply and collected samples of milk, paneer, ghee, drinking water and vinegar for surveillance and enforcement.
The samples have been sent to laboratories, including JNTU Kakinada and VIMTA Labs in Hyderabad for microbial, physio-chemical and toxic adulterant analysis.
Blood and urine samples of affected persons have also been forwarded for detailed toxicological examination, officials added.
The suspected milk vendor, Addala Ganeswararao (33), a resident of Narasapuram village, has been taken into custody and the dairy unit associated with the supply has been sealed.
CLUES (Crime scene Linking Understanding Evidence and Science) and forensic teams inspected the premises, while post-mortem samples were sent to the Regional Forensic Laboratory in Vijayawada. Police said an investigation is underway to trace the distribution network and identify affected consumers.
The Animal Husbandry Department also formed a team of four veterinary doctors, collected 41 milk samples along with cattle feed and water samples, and sent them to the Veterinary Biological Research Institute in Vijayawada for analysis.
Meanwhile, the police registered a case under Section 194 of the BNSS and Section 174 of the CrPC.
