Sunday, Feb 20, 2011
http://www.hindu.com/2011/02/20/stories/2011022064190500.htm
MADURAI: At least 30 cows and bulls died after drinking water from a tank suspected to have poisonous substance near Madurai Airport on Saturday night.
The cattle head, part of a herd of over 1,000 animals reared by a group of people, were seen lying dead with swollen stomach at many spots of a sprawling grazing land along Ring Road. The animals started dying after 5.30 p.m. when they started walking back to the open ground stable.
“The animals profusely salivated and started running helter skelter. They developed fits, fell down and died,” B. Kannan, one of the herders, said. He is one of the many persons herding the ‘kidai maadu' (cows and bulls herded for their dung to be used as natural manure) belonging to different people from Virudhunagar and Madurai districts. The cattle have been grazing on the area for nearly four months. “It all started after they consumed water from the nearby Sengulam tank,” Mr. Kannan said. The number of animals dead was not known immediately as they had fallen dead in darkness at different places, he added.
The panic-stricken herders delayed informing people outside about the tragedy. “We were informed only by the police and arrived here now (after 9.45 p.m.),” said an Assistant Veterinary Surgeon, M.S. Saravanan, said. Pointing to the quick successions in which the animals succumbed, Dr. Saravanan said it should be because of contaminated water. Collector, C. Kamaraj, supervised treatment given to the animals by veterinary doctors, led by Joint Director, Haja Mohideen.
