Two persons, who ran a business cleaning septic tanks in the Nilgiris, were arrested by the district police on Friday after they allegedly dumped human faeces in a stream running into a reserve forest that also serves as an important source of drinking water for villagers in Nanjanad panchayat.
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The incident came to light after residents of Narikulihada in Nanjanad village complained to the panchayat president that they were falling ill, and that they suspected that someone had contaminated their drinking water source.
The villagers were being supplied water from a check dam built along the VPN village road, and alleged that they found human faeces in the check dam. Following a complaint, president M. Sasikala registered a complaint with the Nilgiris district police, who launched an investigation into the incident.
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They arrested B. Ranjith, 29, and M. Sakthivel, 24, both from Thanjavur. During inquiry, the police learned that the two were residing in Yellanalli near Udhagamandalam for the last five years and operated a business cleaning septic tanks in the district.
The two men had reportedly cleaned a tank near Kundha Bikkatty and were transporting the waste from the tank in a lorry. They had previously disposed of the waste at a fertilizer manufacturing company, which was charging them ₹1,000 per load to process the waste.
To cut costs, the two men had allegedly dumped the waste in the stream on March 29. As heavy rain occurred in the area, the waste was washed into the check dam and contaminated the drinking water source, the police said.
The police registered a case against the two men under sections 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 277 (fouling water of public spring or reservoir) and 328 (causing hurt by means of poison) of the Indian Penal Code. They were produced before a judge and remanded in judicial custody.