A sweeper helped avert a possible tragedy at a primary school near here when she spotted empty containers of chloracetanilide herbicide near the school's water tank and immediately alerted the school authorities, police said today.
Her timely alert led to detection of contamination of water in the overhead tank by unidentified miscreants yesterday, they said.
Nagammal was today honoured at the Republic Day function organised by the Panchayat Union School at North Maruthur village near Vedaranyam in the district.
After reaching the school, the sweeper woman had noticed that the water was pale and smelt an odour when she opened a tap, prior to the arrival of the children.
She immediately alerted school headmaster Vadivel, who in turn, informed the police.
Police found empty containers of chloracetanilide herbicide near the 1,000 litre capacity water tank indicating some miscreants had mixed it in the water.
A holiday was declared and the children were sent back home while the health department officials sent water samples for lab test.
Recognising Nagammal's deeds, she was honoured by the parents-teachers association of the school.
The health department authorities said herbicides, if consumed orally, could cause severe damage to nervous system, gastrointestinal damages, hypo-tension, coma and also prove to be life-threatening.
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