8 kids among 11 fall sick after eating sweets in EG

Trader from Rekapalem booked for selling food items without licence

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has booked a case against T. Ramachandra, a trader from Rekapalem, on charges of selling food items without having a licence and seized 100 grams of sweetmeats (teepi gavvalu) from him. Eleven persons, including eight children, had consumed the sweets at Pulusumamidi in Vara Rajapuram mandal of East Godavari and fell ill, said FSSAI assistant controller B. Srinivas.

Food inspector Kalyana Chakravarthi inspected the shop and seized the sweetmeats. Samples would be sent to an accredited food lab at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Kakinada. Action will be taken after getting the reports.

Chakravarthi in his report said the trader was selling sweetmeats and other eatables along with books and groceries. He had no trade or food licence. Chakravarthi said that a meeting was held in VR Puram with traders to create awareness among on food laws and securing licences.

All the children and adults were discharged from the hospital after

their recovery, said tahsildar Sridhar. Dr A. Chaitanya, medical officer at the primary health centre in Rekapalli, said that when three girls were admitted with vomiting; they said they had consumed rosogullas.

Dr Chaitanya said the others, suffering from the same symptoms, were brought to the PHC and given treatment but a five-year-old was admit

ted in the government hospital at Bhadrachalam. Her condition is stable now.

Yetapaka circle inspector M. Geetha Ramakrishna said that there was no case registered against the trader who was said to have caused the food poisoning as nobody lodged a complaint against him. However, he said that if FSSAI officials lodge

complaint, after getting lab test reports, then a case is registered.

Deputy Chief Minister Alla Kalikrishna Srinivas, the health minister, inquired about the condition of the children and instructed collector D. Muralidhar Reddy to provide them good medical treatment. He said that steps should be taken so that such incidents are not repeated.