A quarry in Netravali village of Sanguem taluka which is not in operation is fast emerging to be a serious to health issue as it has reportedly been filled with thousands of discarded cucumbers which are now rotting and the emergent fluid is flowing into the nearby river. Usually farmers sell their cucumber produce to the Horticulture Corporation, which in turn sells them through their vegetable outlets across the State. This is a serious issue as the fluid from this rotting mass of cucumbers flows into the nearby river which ultimately feeds the Selaulim water reservoir. Cucumber contain chemicals such as Cucurbitacins which turn the cucumbers bitter and these toxic chemicals may also turn harmful for health and also trigger fatal rare allergies. The symptoms of cucurbitacin poisoning are stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhoea and even massive hair loss. Rotting cucumbers can become contaminated with harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Necessary steps need to be taken on a war-footing to see that the rotting cucumbers do not contaminate the water in the Selaulim water reservoir which could prove disastrous.
