Even as state officials have identified methyl alcohol in samples of the killer arrack that took 18 lives in Mylavaram in Krishna district, seven more fell sick and were hospitalised on Monday. Of those admitted in hospitals in the last two days, two have lost their eyesight and are in a critical condition. Officials testing samples of arrack which unleashed a wave of deaths in Mylavaram mandal found traces of methyl alcohol in it and believe it to be the cause of the tragedy. Officials also identified as many as nine firms, located in Kondapally locality in Vijayawada, that manufacture the methyl alcohol which was supplied to tribal thandas where illegal arrack is prepared. The firms, whose licences were expiring within a couple of months are unlikely to get renewals, officials said. “We have identified as many as nine firms involved in manufacture of methyl alcohol in Kondapalli. The methyl alcohol that the tribals had used in distilling the arrack was found to have been manufactured by these companies,” a senior official in Excise department told Express. The health conditions of consumers of the arrack depends upon the amount of liquor that was consumed, Andhra Hospital physician Dr Murali told Express. Of the 19 undergoing treatment at the hospital, some are out of danger while others like Banavathu Balu (35) and Bhukya Reddy (30) have lost their eyesight. Of the seven hospitalised Monday, five - Kolusu Nageswara Rao (55), Kolusu Koteswara Rao (60), Kolusu Satyanarayana (44), Kaviti Koteswara Rao (35) and Kandula Rama Rao (50) are from Edurubedem thanda, near Kanimerla thanda and two - Ambothu Erja (50) and Bhukya Reddy (30) from Poratanagar thanda. Meanwhile, higher officials have decided to form additional teams to prevent proliferation of arrack units. P V Sunil Kumar, director of the Enforcement Wing of Excise department said that five teams were formed to identify spurious arrack making units.
By Mouli Mareedu/ P Laxma Reddy
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