Heatwave claims 44 lives in Bihar
Patna: At least 44 people have died in a blistering heatwave that hit three Bihar districts on Saturday, officials said on Sunday.
The officials at the Disaster Management Control Room said 22 people died in Aurangabad, 20 in Gaya and two in Nawada districts due to the heatwave.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has expressed grief over the deaths due to the "loo" winds and the heatstroke in the three districts and has announced a payment of Rs four lakh as ex-gratia to the next of kin of those killed, an official release said.
Stating that the government stood firmly with the affected families, Kumar ordered payment of Rs four lakh as ex-gratia from the state disaster relief fund to the next of kin of those killed due to the heatwave in the three districts.
He also directed the officials concerned to take necessary steps and measures in dealing with the blistering heat and loo. The chief minister also asked the officials to provide all medical help to those affected by the heatstroke.
Major cities such as Patna, Gaya and Bhagalpur witnessed the heatwave on Saturday.
According to the Patna Meteorological Centre, the state capital registered a maximum temperature of 45.8 degrees Celsius on Saturday, the highest in June in the last 10 years, while Gaya and Bhagalpur recorded a high of 45.2 and 41.5 degrees Celsius respectively.
A heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature is 4.5 degrees Celsius above normal for two consecutive days, a MeT official said.
Saturday's maximum temperatures recorded in Patna, Gaya and Bhagalpur were 9.2 degrees, 7.6 degrees and 5.5 degrees Celsius above normal respectively.
The MeT department has forecast that the heatwave will continue in these three cities on Sunday too.
The state government on Saturday said all schools in Patna city will remain closed till June 19 in view of the prevailing weather conditions.
Patna District Magistrate (DM) Kumar Ravi said all government and private schools in the state capital will remain shut till June 19 due to a persisting heatwave-like condition for the past several days, an official release said.
This is the second time the district administration has extended the suspension of academic activities in schools due to the weather. Earlier on June 9, the DM had ordered closure of schools till June 16.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
