BELAGAVI: After consuming the midday meal at school, 81 students of Government Higher Primary School of Vantamuri, near Belagavi, were rushed to the district hospital with complaints of health problems on Tuesday afternoon.
According to sources, a dead lizard was found in a container used to cook the meal for children, and all of them started complaining of health issues after having their meal.
A Belagavi-based NGO supplies midday meals to the government school in Vantamuri. The food was served on Tuesday during the lunch break.
A teacher found a dead lizard in the rice container in the kitchen and immediately asked students to stop eating. By that time, a large number of students had already eaten most of their meal.
Panicked students and teachers took the help of villagers to rush all the students to the primary health centre in Vantamuri, and from there, they were brought to the district hospital.
After treatment, 69 students were discharged without any complications, while 12 others who had consumed more food, have been kept under observation for a day in the hospital.
On receiving the information, Belagavi Tahsildar Manjula Naik, DDPI A B Pundalik, district health officer Dr S V Munyal, rural block education officer Leelawati Hiremath, rural ACP Balachandra Shingyagol and other officers visited the district hospital.
Parents demand action against NGO
The parents of the affected students expressed anger over the incident and demanded action against the NGO which failed to take measures to ensure supply of hygienic food to the children.
Speaking to reporters, DHO Dr S V Munyal said the students were paranoid after the commotion broke out in the village.
They are all stable without any health problems, he said. The food samples have been sent to the laboratory for testing, he said.
Belagavi rural block education officer Leelavati Hiremath said, “Midday meals are supplied to this school by an NGO.
A lizard was found in the rice while distributing meals to students, and the staff stopped distributing and brought the students to the district hospital in an ambulance.
Now all students are out of danger. A report will be sent to higher officials to take action against the guilty, she added.