Rajasthan: 13 Students Fall Ill After Drinking Water at School in Barmer district, Hospitalised

A routine school day in Barmer district took a sudden turn when 13 students from a government school fell ill after drinking water on campus, prompting a swift medical response and an official investigation.

The incident occurred at a Government Senior Secondary School in Sanawada's Meghwalon ki Basti, where students had gathered for an activity. During the break, several of them drank water from the school tank. Within a short time, they began complaining of itching and developed red rashes, raising immediate concerns among staff.

The affected students were first taken to a nearby health facility in Sanawada. As symptoms persisted, they were referred to the district hospital at Barmer Medical College for further treatment. According to Additional District Collector Rajendra Singh, the children showed allergy-like reactions but are now stable and under close observation. Authorities have confirmed that all of them are out of danger.

Officials have launched a probe to determine whether the water source was contaminated or if another factor triggered the reaction. Samples are likely to be tested as part of the investigation.

Meanwhile, concerns over water quality echoed beyond Barmer. In Jaipur, Congress MLA Rafiq Khan held a public hearing at the Public Health Engineering Department office, highlighting complaints about unsafe and irregular water supply in his constituency. Carrying a bottle of allegedly contaminated tap water, he urged officials to ensure safe drinking water for residents.

Locals from several areas flagged issues such as shortages, erratic supply and poor water quality, underlining a broader concern over access to clean water in parts of the state.