Vasundhara Raje warns of strict action as 1 more child dies

One more patient from Jamdoli’s government-run care home for mentally ill was brought to JK Lone Hospital on Saturday morning. She is the 28th patient brought to Sawai Man Singh hospital and JK Lone hospital for treatment in the past 15 days.

Fifteen-year-old Pinki was rushed to the hospital when the doctors posted at a residential care home noticed her deteriorating condition. “When she was brought to the hospital, she was suffering from dehydration and had diarrhea-like symptoms. We have admitted her in the ICU,” Dr Ashok Gupta, hospital superintendent said. Apart from Pinky, there are three more girls in the ICU. “Two out of the three patients are stable now,” he added.

Meanwhile, one more girl succumbed to her illness late on Friday taking the death toll to 12 in the last 15 days. Getting into the damage-control mode, chief minister Vasundhara Raje called a high-level meeting of ministers and officials of the departments concerned.

Describing the deaths as a serious matter, she said that action would be taken against those guilty, irrespective of their positions.

Ms Raje has also asked the officials to set up a permanent control room that would work annually and prepare a protocol to deal with waterborne diseases during summers. The control room would work 24 hours to ensure bleaching, cleaning and sampling of drinking water.

The CM has now instructed officials immediate inspection of all government-run hostels, especially those for the mentally-challenged and residential schools. “CCTV cameras should be installed in all government or NGO-run hostels, residential schools and rehabilitation centers for the mentally-challenged,” she said.

Six officials of Jamdoli centre, including superintendent Anita Muwal, Dr Nupur Tiwari, Dr Mukut Bihari and caretaker Bharti, have been suspended. Deputy director of the directorate for specially-abled Arvind Saini and deputy director in social justice and empowerment department Pyarelal have also been suspended.