ANANTAPUR: Miscreants mixed pesticide in the tank of a purified water plant at Tumiganur village in Kanekal mandal of Anantapur district, causing consternation on Saturday.
Sources said the water purification plant had been donated by Green Co two years ago. A family maintained the plant in the village. It supplied to people bore well water purified by the plant at ₹5 per water can.
It is said a few villagers residing close to the water plant noticed two unidentified persons reaching the water purification plant on Friday. They poured pesticide into a purified water storage tank and fled.
Villagers who noticed them fleeing informed police as well as other villagers.
Kanekal sub-inspector Srinivasulu rushed to the spot and alerted the MPDO, rural water supply (RWS) and other officials. Sniffer dogs had also been pressed into service to find out the culprits who mixed pesticide in the tank.
RWS officials collected samples of water and sent them to the lab.
Police said the culprits had actually poured the pesticide into an additional water tank, which had not been connected to the drinking water supply plant. Otherwise, villagers could have faced a major health crisis.
Police have registered a case based on a complaint by the locals.
