In a shocking development in the Saran district of Bihar, as many as 35 children fell sick after consuming mid-day meals distributed at a Government school, Utkarit Girls Middle School Rasulpur, Tukulia Tola of Dumri region of Sadar block in Saran on May 18.
As per the reports, after eating the mid-day meal distributed at Utkarit Girls Middle School Rasulpur under Doriganj police station limits, children started feeling uneasiness and vomiting, following which as many as 35 of them were immediately rushed to the district hospital.
As many as five children have been shifted to ICU, while others are reportedly out of danger. It’s been learnt that such was the state of affairs in the district’s hospital that around 4-5 children had to be accommodated in a single bed in the emergency ward.
It’s been reported that when the children were having their mid-day meal, one of the student, Akash found a dead lizard in his food, following which he informed the cook, Shobha Devi, about that. Learning about the incident, the school principal Suman Kumati immediately halted food distribution. However, until then, many students started complaining of stomach pain and vomiting. The children were then rushed to the district hospital.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate Sanjay Rai also reached the spot and took stock of the situation. Speaking with the media, SDM Sanjay Rai asserted that food samples had been taken, and those found to be guilty would not be spared. The mid-day meal is being supplied by an NGO in Vishnupura of Doriganj.
The Organiser representative also spoke to the BJP district president Ranjeet Singh on the incident, who asserted that not only the NGO but teachers of the primary school should also be held accountable for the incident as the advisory issued by the State Government after the Gandaman incident clearly states that the teachers are bound to taste the meal before distributing it to the children.
It is to be noted that this is not the first time that school children have fallen sick after consuming the mid-day meal being supplied in the Government schools. As many as 23 children lost their lives after consuming an organophosphate-contaminated food at Dharmasati Gandaman primary school in 2013.
In 2016 the district court, in its judgment while treating the case as rarest of rare, held the school principal Manju Devi guilty of culpable homicide and awarded a maximum imprisonment of 10 years.
Earlier, in a similar incident in November 2022, nearly 200 students had also fallen sick after consuming a mid-day meal in Naugachia region of Bhagalpur in Bihar. Later on, it was revealed that a dead lizard was found on the plate of a class 8th student, to which he informed the school’s principal. However, the principal advised that it was a brinjal, not a Lizard, reported Outlook.
