JHELUM/LAHORE: As many as 75 girl students fell unconscious after an anti-dengue spray was carried out in their school at Domeli in the Sohawa area on Saturday. According to reports, an inexperienced anti-dengue team carried out the fumigation while the school was in session. As a result, at least 35 students fainted, who were rushed to hospitals. Hospital sources say the incident was a result of excessive use of toxic chemicals. Taking serious notice of the issue, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif issued orders for immediate suspension of the Jhelum DCO, health and education EDOs and the TMO. Similar orders have been issued for the DCO, health and education EDOs and the TMO of Attock because of an earlier similar incident at a school of Jand. Similarly, the Home Department, on the chief minister’s directives, issued a notification according to which Section 144 has been throughout the province, banning anti-dengue spray by private companies at government and private educational institutions and public places. Anti-dengue spray will not be carried out in any educational institution or public place in future without the permission of Health Department, it furthers says. Describing the incident as shocking, Shahbaz said besides the best laboratories of the country, samples of anti-dengue spray used at both the schools would also be analysed at a laboratory abroad. He said further action would be taken in the light of the results of laboratory tests. He sought a report from the advisor on health, secretary health and the district administration and also constituted an inquiry committee to investigate matter. The inquiry committee - comprising the Rawalpindi commissioner and Dr Wasim Akram - will review every aspect of the incident and submit a report besides determining the persons responsible for the negligence. Shahbaz said it should be determined why the spray was carried out without protective measures which must be ensured at every cost across the province. He ordered provision of best treatment to the affected students and said the responsibility should be fixed for showing negligence, adding that the guilty persons would be awarded exemplary punishment. Meanwhile, on the chief minister’s directives, Punjab Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmed, Adviser to the CM on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique, Chief Secretary Khizar Hayat Gondal and the secretary education (schools) rushed to Jhelum. They visited the DHQ Hospital and inquired after the health of affected students. They also held a meeting with all the district officials at the DCO office. The chief secretary said it was illegal to conduct spray in any government institution without getting permission from the Health Department and directed all the DCOs of the province to create awareness among masses about the anti-dengue spray at the grass root level. Any negligence on the part of government officials would not be tolerated, he warned. Reacting to the earlier incident in Attock and now in Jhelum, PTI leader Riaz Fatyana, in a statement, said there was no justification of poisonous spray when children were in their classrooms. He maintained that most of the administration was appointed on political basis and were more loyal to the PML-N instead of common people.
