Shillong, August 27: Health Minister Wailadmiki Shylla told the Meghalaya Assembly on Thursday that the recent death of a 12-year-old boy in the Garo Hills was not linked to consumption of Sting energy drink, citing a report from doctors at Tura Civil Hospital.

Shylla was responding to a question raised by MLA Rupa Marak during the ongoing Autumn Session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.

The Minister said the Government had conducted an inquiry following the boy’s death. According to the report submitted by doctors at Tura Civil Hospital, there was no link between the death and consumption of the beverage.

However, the Minister’s response did not specify the exact cause of the boy’s death.

3,756 Food Safety Inspections Conducted

On food safety enforcement, Shylla said the Health Department, through its Food Safety Officers, regularly inspects shops and establishments selling food and beverages to ensure that products available to consumers meet safety standards.

The Minister informed the House that 3,756 inspections had been carried out across districts of Meghalaya over the past three years.

He also cited 2,844 tests and 5,000 food samples as part of the department’s food safety monitoring activities.

The inspections, testing and sampling are aimed at monitoring food quality and ensuring that products sold to consumers are safe for consumption.