Over 30 monkeys found dead in Telangana water tank

On April 3rd, in Ward No. 1 of Nandikonda municipality in Telangana, people found the bodies of more than 30 monkeys in a water tank near Vijaya Vihar. The discovery in this old area, with a building that has part of its roof uncovered, worries people about their health and safety.

Initial reports suggest the primates, desperate for hydration amidst soaring temperatures, accessed the tank through an unsecured lid. Tragically, their quest for water ended fatally as they were unable to escape the confines of the tank. The ensuing days saw residents unknowingly consume the contaminated supply, only to be alerted to the calamity by the foul odor emanating from the site.

Officials stated that the monkeys died in the water tank after trying to escape through the open lid. Around 200 households in Hill Colony received water from the tank, which had metal sheets placed on top by municipal workers. Authorities believe the monkeys may have tried to enter the tank through these sheets to escape the heat, leading to their drowning.

‘No water supplied for three days’

Nageshwar Rao, the superintendent engineer of the Nagarjuna Sagar Project, revealed that water supply from the tank had ceased for three days. Upon investigation, officials discovered the carcasses inside. Rao clarified that the tank only serves the drinking water requirements of 50 households.

In an official statement released by Nalgonda district collector Hari Chandana, it was disclosed that Nandikonda Hill Colony houses two drinking water tanks, each with a capacity of 2,000 litres, alongside another tank holding 1,000 litres.

Chandana further noted the presence of an additional tank where the tragic incident occurred, stating, "There is another tank into which the monkeys fell and died." However, she reassured that no water supply had been sourced from this tank for the past three days. Upon investigation, it was confirmed that the monkeys had indeed fallen into the tank, prompting municipal authorities to promptly address the situation by removing the deceased primates and sanitizing the tank.

She further said, "It's important to clarify that only 50 households were supplied drinking water from this specific tank, and there hasn't been any supply from it for the past three days. The water tanks catering to the main households in Hill Colony are entirely separate from this incident.

Chandana further said, "Residents need not be concerned. The tank where the monkeys fell and died has undergone cleaning, and drinking water will resume once the tank is fully chlorinated. In the interim, water will be provided to households served by this tank through an alternate route."

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