Youth Congress Demands Safe Water in Police Canons Amid Health Concerns

The Youth Congress has formally approached the Kerala State Human Rights Commission over a growing health concern regarding the water used in police water canons. The petition, filed by Salman Olickal, vice-president of the Youth Congress Ernakulam district committee, highlights rising cases of amoebic meningoencephalitis linked to contaminated water.

The petition follows multiple protests in Kerala, including 13 in Thiruvananthapuram, where police employed water canons against demonstrators. Protesters allege that the water, which turns their white shirts yellow, poses a severe health risk when untreated, potentially resulting in a significant health hazard.

With documented fatalities due to this lethal infection, primarily spread through freshwater sources, the plea is for the authorities to ensure proper water treatment and chlorination. This initiative remains critical as Kerala records over 70 cases and 19 deaths this year linked to the disease.