12 tribal children hospitalised after food poisoning in Chhattisgarh’s Jashpur

The children’s family members alleged that they fell ill after eating the anganwadi food. However, the district administration claimed that the food poisoning was caused after they consumed some sweets at a local ceremony.

Updated on: Jun 8, 2022, 15:47:13 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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RAIPUR: A dozen children of Pahadi Korba community have fallen ill due to food poisoning in tribal dominated Jashpur district, officials said on Wednesday.

The tribal children have been admitted to a government hospital and their condition is out of danger. The matter is under investigation. (Representational Image)

All the children have been admitted to a government hospital and their condition is out of danger, the officials said.

The family members of the children alleged that they fell ill after they ate the ready-to-eat food provided by the local anganwadi centre under the Bagicha Block of the district. However, the district administration claimed that the food poisoning was caused after they consumed some sweets at a religious ceremony. The matter is under investigation, they added.

“It seems that they consumed sweets in a local ceremony which caused the food poisoning but I have ordered a probe. The sample of ready-to-eat food has been sent for examination on Wednesday,” said Jashpur collector, Ritesh Agarwal.

“The ready-to-eat food is given in all 176 villages of the district but there was no similar complaint about it. Some kids who were ill have not even eaten the ready-to- eat food hence it seems that there was some other reason behind the food poisoning,” said Vinod Singh, chief executive officer (CEO), Zila Panchayat.

Singh further said that on Tuesday evening, the administration got information that the children were suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting.

“The village is inside the jungle and around 45 km from the headquarters. I along with local sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) and other officials rushed to the spot and admitted the kids to a health centre in Bagicha,” said Singh.

On Tuesday, an eight-year-old girl died and 20 others fell ill allegedly after eating ‘panipuri’ at a village market in Bilaspur district.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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