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PATNA: At least 98 schoolchildren fell sick after consuming midday meal in which a dead snake was allegedly found at a government middle school at Amouna in Araria district on Saturday.
School authorities said the children were consuming the midday meal served by an NGO during the lunch break when they noticed a dead snake in the food and turned panicky. Acting promptly, the school principal rushed 18 children to a local hospital. The rest of the children were taken to hospital by their family members for checkup. The condition of all of them is stated to be stable.
A raria district education officer (DEO) Raj Kumar told TOI that the snake either fell into the food accidentally or someone tried to cause mischief.
“While the school headmaster has been told to submit the report within 48 hours, the owner of the NGO who supplies food to the school has been asked to submit the report within 24 hours,” the DEO said. According to him, the NGO in charge of midday meals has a centralized kitchen which supplies food to 60 schools in the district.
Forbesganj sub-divisional officer Surendra Prasad Albela said the incident smacks of serious conspiracy and stern action would be taken after the probe report comes. He added the school authorities had a dispute with the NGO over cooking of midday meal. “It appears the snake was mixed with food,” the SDO said.
Last week, 36 schoolchildren had fallen sick after being served lizard-mixed food at an upgraded girls’ middle school at Rasulpur-Tikulia in Saran district.
School authorities said the children were consuming the midday meal served by an NGO during the lunch break when they noticed a dead snake in the food and turned panicky. Acting promptly, the school principal rushed 18 children to a local hospital. The rest of the children were taken to hospital by their family members for checkup. The condition of all of them is stated to be stable.
A raria district education officer (DEO) Raj Kumar told TOI that the snake either fell into the food accidentally or someone tried to cause mischief.
“While the school headmaster has been told to submit the report within 48 hours, the owner of the NGO who supplies food to the school has been asked to submit the report within 24 hours,” the DEO said. According to him, the NGO in charge of midday meals has a centralized kitchen which supplies food to 60 schools in the district.
Forbesganj sub-divisional officer Surendra Prasad Albela said the incident smacks of serious conspiracy and stern action would be taken after the probe report comes. He added the school authorities had a dispute with the NGO over cooking of midday meal. “It appears the snake was mixed with food,” the SDO said.
Last week, 36 schoolchildren had fallen sick after being served lizard-mixed food at an upgraded girls’ middle school at Rasulpur-Tikulia in Saran district.
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