ALAPPUZHA: Some 30 rowers from Kuttanad and Kottayam are under treatment for suspected infection from water pollution during the recent President’s Trophy boat race in Ashtamudi. They say they have lumps all over the body due to allergic chemicals organisers used to clean up river water. The race organised by Kollam district administration was held on November 1, the Keralapiravi day. Gopakumar, captain of Devas Chundan, Cheruthana, who fell while rowing, had developed stomach ache and his entire body had swellings.
He was under treatment at Medical College Hospital for almost a month after the water entered his stomach. “I did not complain as I don't know whom to lodge one,” he told DC. The plight of Saneesh and Anoop Sathyan from Kumarakom is no different. They and their almost twenty friends developed body pain immediately after the regatta. They are recovering from chickenpox. Jayan Kavalam, another victim, says they would not attend the boat races in this lake henceforth since their families were suffering for a single-day wage. Skin of him and fellow participants had little scars and then swelled up.
“The pain is still unbearable,” he says. C. V. Vinod Kumar, a boat race buff from Karichal, says they had alerted the organisers about the condition of the water and they didn’t want the boat race in contaminated water. But the organisers went ahead with ‘magical’ cleaning up in a single day. “"The rowers who entertained spectators are now in utter chaos. Who is responsible for this?” he asks. Fifty boats were in the race in various categories, including 15 snake-boats. An official with organising committee admitted that there was a problem with water. However, there was no complaint.
