21 students fall ill after drinking water containing excess chlorine near Pollachi

Twenty-one students of a government middle school at Unjavelampatti near Pollachi in Coimbatore district were treated at the Pollachi Government Hospital after they complained of stomach pain and throat irritation after drinking water at the school on Tuesday (August 18, 2026) afternoon.

Parents rushed to the school after teachers alerted them and took the affected children to the hospital. The students were admitted to the children’s ward after initial treatment in the emergency department. Police and revenue officials visited the hospital and conducted an inquiry.

Officials said chlorine had been added to the 60-litre drinking water tank on the school premises as part of measures to prevent dengue. As the water level in the tank was low when the chlorine was added, the concentration was reportedly high, resulting in irritation among the students who drank the water.

Pollachi MP K. Eswarasamy visited the hospital on Wednesday (August 19) morning and enquired about the health of the affected students. The students were in stable condition, officials said. Officials said the water tank had since been cleaned.