Livestock deprived of water source

Wanaparthy (Mahbubnagar): The careless dumping of seized black jaggery into a water body by the Prohibition and Excise officials has left livestock parched in the hot summer.

• Excise officials seize huge stocks of black jaggery and dump it in Alugu Kunta
• The water body which is the main source of drinking water for livestock in the area, gets polluted

Alugu Kunta at Rajanagaram village in Wanaparthy mandal is a perennial minor water source where livestock quench their thirst.

As part of a drive to make the district arrack-free, the excise officials conducted extensive raids on arrack brewing units and on provision stores in villages and towns to unearth stocks of black jaggery, which is used in brewing arrack and seized huge stocks

of it. The excise officials, who proclaimed that Mahbubnagar was made the first arrack-free district in Telangana, did not know what to do with the seized black jaggery.

Unmindful of its adverse effects on ecology, they simply “dumped” it into Alugu Kunta recently which resulted in the pollution of the water body.

The stench was so thick that it was unbearable even for the livestock which were reluctant to go near the water source. The excise officials drew flak from all quarters for their carelessness.

An eyewitness said the excise officials who came in a jeep, did not heed his pleas against dumping of the black jaggery in Alugu Kunta, which is a drinking water source for livestock.

When contacted, the excise officials refused to say anything on the issue. Speaking to The Hans India, Kishtaiah, a shepherd, said: “Five of my sheep died after consuming the polluted water in Alugu Kunta.

We are left with no other drinking water source for our livestock now.” Condemning the carelessness of the officials, village sarpanch Balaraju said: “Alugu Kunta does not go dry even in harsh summers.

Excess and unabsorbed water used in the paddy fields in its vicinity flows into it. It is like a perennial drinking water source for our livestock. The excise officials responsible for polluting it should be punished to prevent indiscriminate dumping of waste into water bodies.”

By: Narender Chary