• Over 80-lakh litres of potassium-laced poisonous water enters fields
• Villagers complain of breathlessness, allergy and severe cough

Mandya: Shimsha River, the lifeline of Maddur, Malavalli and surrounding area in Mandya district, is polluted as over 80-lakh litres of potassium-laced poisonous water has spilled into fertile fields from the NSL Sugar Factory where a boiler exploded on Nov. 20. The polluted water has collected in thousands of acres of paddy, ragi and sugarcane fields in over 17 villages, affecting over 30,000 people.

Shockingly, villagers from Chikkonahalli, Annedoddi, Keelaghatta, UC Doddi and Gollara Doddi and surrounding areas have complained of breathlessness, itching, cough and allergy. A temporary hospital has been opened at Chikkonahalli and that is of little help, say villagers.

Prakash of Chikkonahalli whose fields have been destroyed by the poisonous water told Star of Mysore that there is a danger of contagious disease spreading as most of the villagers and children are suffering from severe cough and allergy.

The potassium-laced distillery spent wash gushed out of the NSL Sugar Factory at Koppa village in Maddur taluk as the boiler exploded on Nov. 20.  More than 80-lakh litres of chemical water entered the fields, emanating foul smell and fumes. Fields where ragi, sugarcane and paddy crops stood have already shown signs of decay and it may take years for the ground to regain its original fertility, farmers said.

Farmers said, though the blast was severe, District Administration has only taken a few measures to mitigate the damage. “Unbearable smell is emanating from the fields and we are unable to breathe normally. Our hands and bodies are itching and we find red marks on our bodies,” Prakash said.

The smell, breathlessness and the itching sensation is severe during midnight and early mornings. It subsides in the afternoon when the heat increases due to sunlight, he added.

SUPERFICIAL MEASURES: At Chikkonahalli, there are over 1,000 villagers and they are badly affected. Villagers Shekar and Ramesh alleged that soon after the blast, officials visited the villages and they were not serious about the plight of villagers and conducted a superficial inspection. “NSL factory has a first-aid doctor and he is not even a MBBS doctor. He has been deputed to treat us and his medicines are not effective,” they alleged.

The distillery spent wash at the factory was to be disposed of in December. The impact of the explosion is enormous as a huge quantity of hazardous industrial effluents has collected in the fields, water pits, ponds, canals and their subsidiaries. Shimsha water flows through the famous Kokkarebellur Bird Sanctuary and there is a danger of birds too getting affected by pollution.

According to officials from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, the chemical water spilled on lands has flowed till Iggaluru Dam. “We have sent samples for testing in laboratories,” they said.

CLEANING OPERATION: Meanwhile, a massive operation to clean the fields and canals to lessen the damage has been launched. Teams, equipped with trucks, chemical collectors and pumps, have been deputed to collect in`dustrial waste in tankers and dump at vacant places in faraway areas. Sand bunds have been created at places to prevent poisonous water flowing into fields.

Maddur Tahsildar Shwetha told SOM that over five teams have taken up survey of the affected villages. “Each team has seven to eight members comprising officials from Agriculture Department, Revenue, Horticulture, Fisheries, Pollution Control Board and a Policeman. The survey has been completed and I will submit a report to Mandya Deputy Commissioner tomorrow,” she said.

COMPENSATION AND CASES: Minor Irrigation Minister C.S. Puttaraju, who is also the Mandya District Minister, said the factory was providing compensation to the affected farmers. They will be paid Rs.1.5 lakh per acre of sugarcane, Rs.70,000 for paddy and Rs.60,000 for ragi.

Koppa Police have registered a criminal case against the NSL Sugars under IPC Sections 278 (vitiating atmosphere in any place so as to make it noxious to the health of people), 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 427 (mischief causing damage). No arrests were made so far and investigation is on, said the Police.