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At least 200 students were taken ill after inhaling fumes of toxic gas from a nearby sugar mill in Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli. They were students of Saraswati Vidya Mandir and Saraswati Junior High School. Reportedly, they inhaled the gas that was used to treat garbage at the plant.
They were taken to district and private hospitals after complaining of burning eyes, breathlessness, nausea and stomach ache. Some of them also became unconscious.
According to news agency ANI, the Uttar Pradesh Control Room confirmed the gas leak and said 175 of the 200 children who were hospitalised were sent home after first aid. 23 other students are still under observation, and two were referred to Panipat for further treatment.
Shamli is Uttar Pradesh’s sugar and jaggery manufacturing hub. Some have accused the sugar mill of negligence.
Chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, has ordered the commissioner of Saharanpur to look into the incident and asked Shamli district magistrate, Indra Vikram Singh, and all local officers to help the affected children.