Ranchi: 96 children fell ill after eating mid day meal in a school in a Government school in Jharkhand’s Jamua on Monday. According to sources, a lizard had fallen into the food during the preparation, leaving it contaminated.
The students complained of stomach ache and nausea immediately after eating the meal and soon started vomiting. The school authorities took them to the nearest hospital where the condition of the children reportedly stabilized after treatment.
“Most of the kids were released with first aid, about 5 children continue to be under treatment,”said Balmukund Rai, in-charge of Jamua community health center where the children were taken.
Villagers levelled charges of negligence against the school principal in the preparation of mid-day meal. The principal however appeared clueless about how the lizard fell into the cooking pan and who should be responsible for it. “This is the first time that such a sad incident has taken place,” principal of the school Mahavir Paswan said.
Last month, at least two children died and 15 others were hospitalised after consuming milk as a part of mid-day meal at a school under Thana Refinery in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura.