SRIKAKULAM: Taking a serious view of food the poisoning case reported from a Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) at G Sigadam, collector K Dhananjaya Reddy issued suspension orders to school special officer Shirisha and NURSE Kumari on the charge of negligence while discharging their duties. A day after 35 girls were admitted to Rajam government hospital with the complaints of vomiting, fevers and diarrhoea, another six students were rushed to the hospital on Saturday morning.
According to sources, though the food poisoning came to light four days ago, the school management managed to hush up the incident. The school special officer and the ANM gave a few pills to the victims who developed nausea, vomitings and symptoms of diarrhoea in their bid to hush up the issue, the officials said, referring to the preliminary investigation report. With the condition of the students deteriorating, the issue came to light and health officials rushed the school.
Women Commission member Koyyana Sreevani who met the students at the hospital on Saturday said that the children were taken ill after having stale pulihora a few days ago. “Though the special officer and the ANM knew about the food poisoning four days ago, they tried to suppress the incident fearing that they might lose their jobs. Th issue came to light after the health officials inspected the school on Friday,” said SSA project officer S Trinath Rao. The school management rushed the students to Rajam hospital on Friday late evening. On Saturday, another six students were admitted to the hospital with complaints of vomiting and headache.
“We have declared holidays for the school for next three days to sanitise the campus. The buildings will be cleaned. The other students have been sent to their villages,” the PO added.The health officials administered the first-aid to the victims before they were shifted to hospital.