Schoolchildren assembled for their mid-day meal at a Bihar government school as usual on Tuesday afternoon. Soon, dozens of them had to be hospitalised after they felt dizzy and started vomiting.
In a bizarre and shocking incident, at least 36 girl students fell ill after a cook “mistakenly” added detergent powder instead of salt to their mid-day meal in Bihar’s Nalanda district.
The incident took place at the Middle School in Parasi, in the Noorsarai police station area of Nalanda. The students were taken to Biharsharif Sadar Hospital and officials said that they were stable.
Principal Shailendra Kumar Singh said the mid-day meal, comprising soybean rice, was supplied by an NGO as per the prescribed menu.Some students had already eaten when others complained that the food lacked salt.
The containers of salt and detergent powder had reportedly been kept at the same place in the kitchen, and the cook allegedly mistook the detergent for salt and added it to the food, locals claimed.
Soon after consuming the meal, several students complained of dizziness and began vomiting. They were initially given first aid at the school but were later shifted to Sadar Hospital after their condition did not improve.
Civil Surgeon Dr Jay Prakash Singh visited the hospital and took stock of the students’ condition. He said all the children were out of danger.
Bihar Rural Development Minister Shravan Kumar visited the hospital and met the affected students. He also spoke to doctors about their condition.
Kumar said a detailed inquiry would be conducted to ascertain how the alleged lapse occurred in the preparation and serving of the mid-day meal.
(With Inputs From Ravi Ranjan)
