SANGRUR, May 27 — The Punjab government has ordered a comprehensive inquiry into a mass food poisoning incident that left 72 wedding guests hospitalized in the Moonak region. The health department mobilized rapid response teams after multiple families, including young children and senior citizens, required urgent medical intervention after eating at the local celebration.
The administrative machinery responded following clear instructions from Cabinet Minister Advocate Barinder Kumar Goyal, who ordered the regional health department and sub-divisional magistrates to monitor the facility round the clock until every patient reaches full recovery. Officials subsequently distributed the patient load between the Moonak Civil Hospital, private clinics, and specialized units in Sangrur to avoid institutional overcrowding.
The local medical infrastructure received significant reinforcements to cope with the sudden emergency. The Sangrur Civil Surgeon coordinated with the Director of Health Services to bring in specialized medical staff from Kohrian, Bhawanigarh, and Lehragaga, while arranging for a dedicated team of specialists from Patiala to assist local clinicians.
“The Punjab Government is taking the matter seriously and will initiate appropriate action,” Barinder Kumar Goyal asserted to reporters after inspecting the clinical arrangements and interviewing the recovering patients. The minister stated that all victims are currently in stable condition and expressed satisfaction with the emergency measures implemented by the attending medical officers.
The state health administration confirmed that backup resources, including a fleet of three standby ambulances, remain positioned at the primary care site to facilitate swift transfers if any patient’s condition deteriorates. Officials noted that the immediate focus remains on patient stabilization, which will be followed by strict regulatory action against any party found responsible for the food quality failure.
The minister also called for structural reforms to the food safety framework beyond the state level. Khudian declared that the central government needs to implement stringent nationwide anti-adulteration laws for dairy and essential food products, which would act as a vital deterrent against the systemic contamination issues currently threatening public health.
