Fourteen students of the Government Girls’ Primary School in Kusugal were hospitalised when they complained of stomach ache and uneasiness after consuming milk under the Ksheera Bhagya scheme on Monday.
This is the second such incident in the state, after 14 students fell ill in Gulbarga 15 days ago. The Ksheera Bhagya scheme to give 150 ml of flavoured milk to school and anganwadi children thrice a week across the state was introduced on August 1. This however was the first time the children in this school were given milk under the scheme. The incident took place at around 11.30 am. As soon as they drank the milk, they started feeling ill. So the remaining children were not given the milk.
The children are recuperating at the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) and are out of danger. None of the school authorities was present at the hospital.
Putrappa, father of one of the girls said that everything was normal till they received a call from the school authorities.
“My daughter Lakshmi went to school in the morning as usual. However, we got a call at around 11.30 from school stating that Lakshmi had fallen ill. We rushed to the school immediately. The affected children were taken to a local doctor who administered injections, following which the children were admitted at KIMS,” he said. Dr Shepore of KIMS said the children are in a stable condition. “Barring one girl who vomited, the rest of the children are stable. The students will be kept under observation for a day,” he added. The cause for the contamination of the milk is also not yet known.