Hospitalization After Suspected Food Poisoning

In a concerning incident in Wayanad, Kerala, doctors admitted two children from a Chooral Mala landslide-affected family to the hospital on Saturday morning (November 9, 2024) with symptoms of food poisoning. After eating a soybean meal allegedly provided by Meppadi grama panchayat officials a few days earlier, the children, who are temporarily living in Kummapetta, went to Taluk Hospital in Vythiri for treatment.

The situation intensified on Thursday (November 7, 2024) when protests erupted over food kits given to landslide-affected families, which were found to be infested with worms. Following the public outcry, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced on Friday (November 8, 2024) that a vigilance inquiry would investigate the distribution of the tainted food kits.

Investigation to Focus on Expired Food Distribution

The chief minister’s office stated that officials launched the inquiry after reports indicated that landslide victims from Chooralmala and Mundakkai had received expired rice and other food products. The investigation will seek to determine whether the panchayat distributed outdated stock or if someone tampered with the items.

The chief minister directed officials to conduct a preliminary investigation and submit a report to the government. The inquiry began after the chief secretary presented a memo on the incident to the chief minister. On Thursday, the State Food Commission also requested a report from the Wayanad district administration on the oversight of inedible items, which an NGO reportedly supplied for the Onam festival in September.

Source: The Hindu