De-worming pill row: Calcutta High Court directs Health dept to file affidavit

The Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the State Health and Education departments to submit an affidavit in connection with the incident in which hundreds of school students fell ill after taking de-worming pills.

The division Bench headed by Chief Justice Manjula Chellur raised several questions. 

The Court asked the State government to clear its stance on who directed to give the medicine? Who had tested those medicines and what were its contents?

The Court has directed both the departments of the State government to file the affidavit within 10 days or else the Court will take necessary decision.

It may be mentioned that hundreds of students of schools in Howrah, Hooghly, East Midnapore and South 24-Parganas fell ill after taking de-worming pills as part of the de-worming programme. 

Several had to be admitted to hospitals. 

Parents of the students staged demonstration outside the schools and in some places school valuables were damaged.

Taking an immediate move, the state health department had asked the district officials to stop the de-worming programme. 

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the court in this connection on Thursday.

According to an official of the State Health department, several steps have already been taken to bring the situation under control. 

An inquiry has been initiated to find whether the medicines were expired. 

At the same time steps were taken to find the number of people affected. 

The district authorities were also asked to look into the matter so that parents do not panic unnecessarily. 

They have also been asked to be in touch with the school authorities and to contact senior officials of the health department in case there is any new and important development in this connection.