Garment workers employed in a private company in Mylasandra on Mysuru Road fell ill on Thursday, reportedly after consuming contaminated water in the premises.
Union leaders said employees of 'Wonder Blues' have been falling ill since Monday, forcing the company to give leave to all its employees for the rest of the week. Employees have been admitted to three hospitals with some more getting treated as outpatients, they said.
“The company employs 1,500 people. At least 500 employees are suffering from infection. It is the same water that everyone has consumed and, hence, it has affected them all,” said Raju B.C., member of Garment Labour Union. “Over the past three days, several incidents came to light of people suffering from acute stomach pain, nausea and vomiting. They are suffering from weakness because of the infection. By Thursday, hundreds of employees were approaching nearby hospitals for treatment.”
One of the employees The Hindu spoke to said, “I developed vomiting. I went to the hospital to get it checked. A doctor told me that I had an infection because of the water I had consumed. He has prescribed medication. I am recovering.”
BBMP Health Officer Dr. Manoranjan Hegde said more than 80 workers were treated in various hospitals for vomiting and stomach pain. “None of them are in a serious condition. They are recovering. The Primary Health Centre has collected water samples, which will be sent for a lab test,” he said.
‘Leave till Monday’
The company maintained that the claims were exaggerated, and that there have been not more than 20 cases of infection.
“The employees are panicking. We have given them leave until Monday so that they can recover this and get back to work,” said Vimala Nair, HR Manager of Wonder Blues.
She added that the RO Plant on the premises was functional and that there was no problem with hygiene. “We have sent the water for lab tests too,” she said.
In May, about 150 workers from a garment factory on Sarjapur Road fell sick allegedly after consuming contaminated water in the factory.