Uttar Pradesh: 300 students fall ill due to toxic exhaust

Lucknow: More than 300 students of Saraswati Shishu Mandir in Shamli district were rushed to the district hospital following complaints of uneasiness in breathing, stomach ache followed by a bitter taste in the mouth after chemical fumes were released from a neighbouring sugar mill.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had directed the Saharanpur commissioner to probe the incident. He has asked the district magistrate to ensure proper treatment of the children.

According to Shamli’s chief medical officer, Dr Raj Kumar, most of the children were discharged after they were given basic treatment.

The school has been closed for the day. He said so far three students were still admitted at the hospital and were under observation.

Thirty six students were referred to private hospitals for advanced treatment. Younger children seem to have been more affected by the fumes.

Shamli district magistrate Indra Vikram Singh downplayed the incident and said that odour released as part of a routine cleaning exercise at nearby sugar mills made the students nauseous.