Jaipur/AJMER: It appears that the authorities in the state haven’t learned any lessons from the midday meal tragedy that claimed the lives of 20 children in a school in Chhapra, Bihar.
At least 79 kids of a government higher secondary school in Maliyon Ka Mohalla in Baneda town of Bhilwara district fell ill after consuming contaminated midday meal.
Preliminary investigations indicate that a lizard was found in the cooked meal. Taking cognizance of the incident, the district collector has ordered action against three officials.
The midday meal incharge of the school, Dinesh Tanwar, who is also the physical training instructor and K C Garg, headmaster, were suspended. Lalu Lal Koli, additional block education officer, was put on awaiting posting order (APO).
"After having midday meal, they complained of nausea, vomiting and dehydration. All of them were rushed to the government hospital. The condition of children is stable. Most of them were discharged from the hospital by the afternoon," said a senior health officer of Bhilwara.
The incident came to the notice when a girl, Devi, found a dead lizard in her plate. She immediately rushed to the headmaster Kailash Garg and complained about it.
The people engaged in midday meal had prepared rice and daal which was served in the verandah of the school. "Preliminary investigations suggested that lizard fell into the daal prepared for the midday meal which went unnoticed. It is utter negligence and hence we have suspended the midday meal incharge and headmaster and removed the additional block education officer," said Onkar Singh, district collector, Bhilwara.
After taking the contaminated meal the students started vomiting and fainted on the ground.
Meanwhile, parents gathered outside the school and shouted slogans against the school administration.
Meanwhile, the district administration has also terminated the services of three women who were engaged in cooking the midday meal for the children. "The contractual employees Asha, Lalita and Kanchan were terminated for their negligence. We have also constituted a three member committee to probe the matter. It comprises sub divisional magistrate (SDM), district education officer (DEO), and block development officer (BDO).