A nine-year-old student of Class 3 died from jaundice on Monday after he drank polluted water at a government-run ashramshala at Tava in Dahanu. Meanwhile, 25 other boarders have been admitted to Kasa Government Hospital, with 13 showing symptoms of jaundice.
The administration had not repaired the single reverse osmosis (RO) water filtre installed in the ashramshala since June, and students were forced to drink untreated water.
“Naitik Nitin Talha died due to jaundice after drinking contaminated water, while 23 students are admitted in the hospital for treatment. Thirteen of them are vomiting, have fever and other symptoms of jaundice,” said Rahul Sarang, tehsildar, Dahanu.
“We have made a panchnama of the water samples and the machine,” he said. The Tribal Department have suspended TI Patil, principal, and RR Gavit, superintendent of the ashramshala, for gross negligence. Tribal welfare minister Ashok Uike and Palghar MP Rajendra Gavit visited the ashramshala.