Telangana: 23 farm workers fall ill due to suspected water contamination in Mulugu

Hyderabad: Nearly 23 farm workers fell ill after they drank water contaminated with suspected phosphorous-based pesticide, from a drip irrigation pipeline in Mulugu on Wednesday.

The workers were hired by a farmer and deployed to harvest red chillies at Gollagudem village in Venkatapuram mandal.

According to the police, the incident reportedly occurred when they were having lunch in the afternoon, consuming water unaware of the contamination in it.

They started vomiting soon after consuming the pesticide-laced water following which they were rushed to Eturunagram Community Health Center(CHC).

After treatment, 20 labourers were discharged while the condition of the remaining three deteriorated.

They were later shifted to the government hospital in Mulugu for advanced treatment.

Last year, more than 50 people, including eight children, fell severely ill after drinking the municipality water in Gadwal.