Dead lizard in rice, 81 Karnataka students fall ill after eating mid-day meal at school

On consuming the government-sponsored mid-day meal served to them at their school, 81 students of Government Higher Primary School of Vantamuri, near Belagavi were rushed to Belagavi district hospital with complaints of health problems on Tuesday afternoon.

According to sources, a dead lizard was found in a container used to cook mid-day meals for children and all of them started complaining of health issues after their meal. A Belagavi-based NGO supplies midday meals to this government school in Vantamuri. As usual, the food was being served on Tuesday to the children during their lunch break. However, a teacher found a dead lizard in the rice container in the kitchen and immediately asked all the students to stop eating. But, 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 Primary Health Centre in Vantamuri immediately and from there they were brought to Belagavi district hospital. After the treatment, 69 students were discharged without any complications, while 12 students who had consumed full meals are kept under observation for a day in the hospital.

On receiving the information, Belagavi Tahsildar Manjula Naik, DDPI AB Pundalik, district health officer Dr SV Munyal, Rural block education officer Leelawati Hiremath, Rural ACP Balachandra Shingyagol and other officers visited the paediatrician ward in 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 poor rural children. Speaking to reporters, District health officer Dr SV Munyal said, the students got panicked after a commotion broke in the village. They are all okay and stable without any health problems. The food samples have been sent to a laboratory for testing, he said. Belagavi rural block education officer Leelavati Hiremath said, "Mid-day meals are being supplied to this school by NGO. The lizard has found in rice while distributing meals to students and staff stopped distribution and brought students to district hospital through ambulance, Now all students are out of danger, A report will be sent to the higher official to take action against the guilty."