Fluorosis victims in Munugode celebrate Diwali, burn fluorosis ‘rakshasi’

For more than five decades, people of erstwhile Munugodu suffered due to high fluoride content in the groundwater.

Nalgonda: In a celebration rarely seen in Munugode, fluorosis victims celebrated Diwali by setting fire to an effigy of the fluorosis ‘rakshasi’ (monster) at Marrigudem last night, symbolifying the end of the decades-long menace that tormented them.

Fluorosis victims from Batlapally, Shivannagudem and other places gathered at Marriguda to celebrate the festival of lights, expressing happiness the menace ending and also conveying their gratitude to Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao for putting an end to the fluorosis threat.

Burning a 15 feet-height effigy of the fluorosis ‘rakshasi’ in the ground opposite the Marriguda Police Station, the survivors of the menace said they wanted to send a message that fluorosis would no longer affect their lives. They also burst crackers and distributed sweets.

The union Health Ministry had announced in Lok Sabha in September 2020 that Telangana was now a fluorosis free State, while the INREM Foundation, a research institution probing societal issues concerning water, had also found in its study in 2020 that no new fluorosis case was reported in Nalgonda district for the last six years. All the reports pointed at Mission Bhagiratha, which was taken up to supply safe drinking water to every house in the State, stating that the mission had played the crucial role in solving the issue.

Speaking on the occasion, fluorosis victim Amshala Swamy said fluorosis was the real monster for the people of Nalgonda, particularly Munugode mandal. It affected the lives of two lakh people in the district. Coming together under the Jala Sadhana Samithi and Fluorosis Vimukthi Porata Samithi, the victims had waged several agitations and staged a dharna at Jantar Mantar too in 2003. But, the then Centre and State governments took no notice, he said, adding that it was K Chandrashekhar Rao, who took up their cause immediately after taking charge as the first Chief Minister of the new State, who solved the issue by launching Mission Bhagiratha.

Another victim, Panuganti Thirupathamma from Vattipally village, said no new fluorosis case had come to her notice in the last eight years in her village and the surrounding village as well, where the severity of the issue was high earlier. She also thanked the Chief Minister for solving the issue, adding that CM KCR would always remain in their minds and in history as the hero who killed the fluorosis monster.

Fluorosis victim Surige Ramulu from Anthampet said leaders of different political parties had visited their area in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh and promised to help them. But no one did nothing. On the other hand, the commitment of K Chandrashekhar Rao saw him ensuring freedom from fluorosis in a short time, he said, while Sirisha from Kudabakshupally said the people of Marriguda should burn the effigy of the fluorosis monster every Diwali to pass on the message to future generations.

Fluorosis Vimukthi Porata Samthi founder convenor K Subash said the people of the area look at Mission Bhagiratha tank with gratitude.