Daijiworld Media Network – Amravati
Amravati, Jul 27: More than 100 students of two government tribal residential schools in Maharashtra's Melghat region were hospitalised after allegedly suffering food poisoning on Sunday night, marking the second such incident in the area within 24 hours.
The latest cases were reported from the Government Tribal Ashram Schools at Bijudhawadi and Sawalikheda in Dharni taluka, where students complained of vomiting, stomach pain, dizziness, diarrhoea and uneasiness after having dinner.
The affected students were initially admitted to nearby primary health centres. Those with more serious symptoms were later shifted to the Dharni Sub-District Hospital for further treatment.
The incident comes a day after around 70 students at the Government Tribal Ashram School in Titamba reportedly fell ill with similar symptoms, raising concerns over food safety in tribal residential schools in the region.
Officials suspect that the common food supply system may be linked to both incidents, as cooked meals for the schools at Titamba, Sawalikheda and Bijudhawadi are supplied from the Central Kitchen at Tembhali.
The back-to-back incidents have raised serious questions over the monitoring of the food supply system and the safety of meals served to students.
The latest episode occurred just hours after Tribal Development Minister Dr Ashok Uike visited Melghat on Sunday following the Titamba incident. During his visit, he inspected the Central Kitchen at Tembhali, reviewed the food supply arrangements and held a meeting with officials, issuing necessary directions.
A day earlier, Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare had also visited Melghat to review the health and nutrition of tribal children.
Reacting to the latest incident, Tatkare said she had taken note of the Titamba case and would discuss the matter with the Tribal Development Minister. She said senior officials had been directed to conduct an immediate inquiry and take action against those found responsible.
She added that the district administration would also conduct an investigation and that strict action would be initiated after the laboratory report on the food samples supplied by the Central Kitchen is received.
Amravati MP Balwant Wankhade visited the Dharni Sub-District Hospital on Sunday to meet the affected students and review the situation with officials. Expressing strong displeasure over the apparent negligence, he called for fixing accountability in the matter.