Khordha, Jan 6: State Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling reassured the public on Monday that the health crisis at a residential school in Khordha is stabilizing. The crisis was caused by a sudden rise in jaundice cases, but the affected students are now recovering. Following reports of the outbreak at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Gurujang, a central team was dispatched to identify the source of infection and ensure the safety of students on campus.
"The district administration acted promptly by sending medical officers to the site. We have also collected environmental samples to ensure the water supply at the school meets safety standards," said Mukesh Mahaling.
In November last year, two tribal girl students, Anjali and Kalpana, died from jaundice, and over 120 others were hospitalized in Andhra Pradesh. Officials pointed to contaminated water, poor sanitation, and malfunctioning RO plants as the main causes of the outbreak. They have demanded Rs. 10 lakh in compensation for the families of the deceased.
Pushpa Srivani, a leader, claimed that the RO plants installed during the previous YSRCP government were not maintained for months, resulting in students drinking unsafe water. She criticized the government for covering up the hostel deaths by suspending local staff instead of addressing the root cause of the problem. Additionally, basic facilities such as fans and mosquito nets were missing, and sanitation workers had not been paid for three months.
Araku MP Tanuja Rani revealed that 129 students are now suffering from jaundice due to prolonged neglect. She condemned the government for failing to provide safe drinking water, proper food, and preventive medical camps despite repeated warnings. Rani also criticized the Tribal Welfare Minister for only visiting the schools after media pressure and for making contradictory statements to protect the administration.
Leaders said the ongoing crisis reflects the collapse of the tribal welfare system over the past 15 months of coalition rule and demanded immediate corrective action to protect students' lives and dignity.
Former Chief Minister and YSRCP President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy blamed the state government led by Chandrababu Naidu for the "gross negligence" that resulted in the deaths of tribal girl students in Parvathipuram Manyam district. On X (formerly Twitter), YS Jagan stated that the collapse of the RO plant at the Kurupam Girls' Tribal Gurukul School led to students consuming contaminated water, sparking the jaundice outbreak. In just four days, two young girls lost their lives, and many others became seriously ill.
