Telkoi: 23 hostel inmates of Ranibeda High School of Raisuan panchayat under Telkoi block in Keonjhar district had to be hospitalized Sunday afternoon after they complained of stomach ache and diarrhea symptoms following consumption of contaminated water.
18 of them were discharged after they were declared fit. The rest are said to be undergoing treatment.
The hostel, 35 kilometres from Telkoi, is run by the district education department. 51 students are staying there.
According to the hospitalised students, the hostel got an overhead water tank under Basudha scheme in 2017. After lying defunct for two months, it was made functional. It was when the inside of the tank was being cleaned; it was found that it had layer of foreign materials. So, contaminated water is believed to be the reason for the students’ illness.
When asked, Mrutyunjay Dash, a teacher who brought the students to the hospital, said the possibility of contaminated drinking water cannot be ruled out.
Out of the total strength of 51 inmates, five had gone to their houses. 46 inmates were staying. They complained of stomachache and suffered from loose motion accompanied with nausea Saturday. They were immediately provided with first aid treatment at the hostel itself. Finding no improvement in their health condition, they were rushed to Telkoi government hospital in two 108 ambulances, Dash said.
District education officer, K Mishra, when contacted, said that he was aware of the incident. A probe into the incident would be ordered and action on the basis of the report would be taken, he added.
PNN