ANANTAPUR: For the second time in a month, students of the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) in Singanamala fell ill after having dinner on Friday night. Preliminary probe has revealed that a dead lizard was found in the buttermilk consumed by the students, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) Assistant Project Coordinator Tilak Vidyasagar said.
As many as 25 girls took sick and are being treated at hospitals in Singanamala and Anantapur.
Meanwhile, officials suspect the lizard might have been intentionally dropped in the buttermilk as an internal scuffle has been reported between the teaching and non-teaching staff.
Girl Child Development Officer (GCDO) Rebecca said the students who complained of vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach pain were taken to Singanamala Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) and Anantapur government hospital for treatment.
With students falling sick for the second time in a month, authorities have a taken serious noted and called for a probe. They questioned the students and staff during the initial investigation and learnt that a dead lizard had been found in the buttermilk.
Subsequently, they were also informed of the differences between the teaching and non-teaching staff. Following this, officials are now suspecting that the scuffle might have led to the incident.
“We have asked KGBV special officer Jhansi to lodge a complaint with the police so that they can nab the culprits,” Vidyasagar said and asserted that stringent action would be taken against those involved in the incident.
Further, he said steps would be taken to ensure such incidents do not repeat. Explaining the reason for the earlier incident of food poisoning, the SSA official said we learnt that unscientificmethods to prepare curd were used, leading to several girls falling sick.
42 GIRLS OF SAME SCHOOL FELL ILL ON DEC 2
It may be recalled that around 42 students of the same school had fallen sick on December 2 and had complained of vomiting and diarrhoea. Following the incident, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan officials had terminated four staffers.