Two more die after consuming poisonous weeds, toll mounts to seven

November 8th, 2008 - 2:39 pm ICT by IANS -

Lucknow, Nov 8 (IANS) Two more children died after consuming poisonous
weeds in a village in Uttar Pradesh, taking the death toll to seven in
the last four days, an official said Saturday.Three days ago five
children had died in Bijnore - about 250 km from state capital Lucknow
- after eating Jatropha seeds.

“This time the children lost their lives after consuming pods of
poisonous weeds Cassia occidentalis,” Chief Medical Officer (CMO) S.P.
Singh told IANS.

A wild shrub, Cassia occidentalis grows on barren land.

“The deaths were reported in the last 24 hours in Bijnore’s Sadabad
village, where two children playing in the fields ate the pods,” Singh
said.

Following the incident, the health authorities have launched a drive
along with officials of the forest and horticulture departments to
spread awareness about the toxic effects of poisonous weeds, including
Jatropha and Cassia occidentalis, officials said.

“As a part of the drive, pamphlets about the toxic effects of weeds
would also be distributed amongst parents in different villages,”
Singh said.

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