Kendrapara: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a final reminder to the Superintendent of Police of Balasore to submit the progress report within four weeks positively on the death of a girl student in Purubai Kanyashram school due to food poisoning. The apex rights body has asked the SP to send the additional or complete report by September 24 next for further consideration by the commission.
Acting on the petition filed by rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy, the NHRC issued the direction Thursday. According to the petitioner, 27 minor girl students fell sick at Soro-based Purubai Kanyashram school at Balasore due to food poisoning February 17, 2023. He alleged that the Gandhi Sevashram-run Kanyashram served low-quality food to the inmates as mid-day-meal (MDM). The inmates reportedly developed fever, cold, cough and body ache for five days and complained of uneasiness and vomiting after taking the MDM.
About 27 inmates of the Kanyashram school were admitted to Soro CHC and three of them were shifted to FM Medical College and Hospital where Class IX student Bini Singh died during treatment. Tripathy quoting the locals alleged that contaminated water and poor-quality food were being served to the inmates of the kanyashram. He said the failure of the Welfare, Education department in regularly checking the quality of food, water, education, and health of the poor minor girls who were studying at the Kanyashram amounts to a serious violation of human rights. The apathy and negligence of the district administration in registering FIR and in taking legal and preventive measures also amount to a violation of human rights, he stated. The commission earlier on June 30 had directed the concerned authority to submission of a progress report. Since official correspondence from authorities was received in the matter, the commission issued a reminder to the concerned authority to submission of progress report within four weeks positively.