Mandya to Rehabilitate Meghalaya Students After Food Poisoning

SHILLONG: After intervention by the authorities of Meghalaya, the Mandya district administration of Karnataka has decided to rehabilitate 22 students from Meghalaya at Bala Mandir, a rehabilitation center. The decision was taken after a food poisoning incident at a school in Karnataka, in which two students lost their lives.

The poisoned students will be under the supervision of a child protection officer as soon as they are discharged from the hospital.

The incident of food poisoning raised alarm everywhere, especially in Meghalaya. Twelve-year-old Namebantei Marwein from Sohparu, Nongstoin, died on Tuesday, preceded by the death of 13-year-old Khrehlang Khongtani, a Class 7 student from Lyndem, East Khasi Hills. The tragic deaths caused an outcry about the safety and welfare of students from Meghalaya pursuing their education in Karnataka.

A review meeting, presided over by Mandya's Deputy Commissioner and in which officials from Meghalaya, such as Home Commissioner and Secretary Cyril V. Diengdoh, were present, was convened to discuss the matter. In the meeting, the authorities agreed that the students would be permitted to take their final examinations this month. The district administration promised that arrangements would be made to hold the examinations at Bala Mandir so that there would be minimal disruption to their studies.

Besides academic concerns, officials have also initiated measures to check the students' health and nutrition. District officials have been allotted to monitor the diet charts provided by doctors to speed up the recovery of the afflicted students. Authorities are adopting strong measures to ensure that such incidents do not repeat and that students in hostels are safe and healthy.

The Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights Chairperson went to Mandya to visit the school where the food poisoning took place.

The Chairperson, district head, and other officials also went to the hospital to check on the condition of the hospitalized students. A Meghalaya official said that the majority of the students are recovering well, with one remaining in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Meghalaya officials visited the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Mandya on Tuesday to request the latest information about the progress of the inquiry. The Mandya authorities promised every cooperation and expressed willingness to supply the concerned reports, such as the FIR, arrest information, list of harmed students, and food sample tests.

To facilitate smooth communication, ADC designated the Deputy Director of School Education (DDSE) as the nodal officer to support the Meghalaya team. The DDSE later joined the team at the hospital, where they spoke with the hospitalized students and asked them how they had been admitted to the school and hostel.

On the other hand, the remains of 12-year-old Namebantei Marwein reached his native village, Sohparu, Nongstoin, on Wednesday. One of the relatives of the late student disclosed that Marwein was studying in Karnataka with an association's support. The school authorities informed the family about their health status.

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