36 Girl Students Fall Ill After Detergent Added To Mid-Day Meal In Bihar
Cook Allegedly Mistakes Detergent Powder For Salt At Nalanda School; Students Hospitalised
At least 36 girl students fell ill after allegedly consuming a mid-day meal in which detergent powder was mistakenly added instead of salt at a government school in Bihar's Nalanda district on Tuesday.
The incident took place at Middle School in Parasi village under the Noorsarai police station area. The affected students were taken to Biharsharif Sadar Hospital after they complained of dizziness and began vomiting. Officials said all the students were stable and out of danger.
School principal Shailendra Kumar Singh said the mid-day meal, comprising soybean rice, had been supplied by an NGO as per the prescribed menu. Some students had already eaten the meal when others complained that it lacked salt.
According to local residents, the containers of salt and detergent powder had reportedly been kept at the same place in the kitchen. The cook allegedly mistook the detergent powder for salt and added it to the food.
Soon after consuming the meal, several students complained of dizziness and started vomiting. They were initially given first aid at the school but were later shifted to Biharsharif 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 also visited the hospital and met the affected students. He spoke to doctors about their condition and assured that the incident would be investigated.
Kumar said a detailed inquiry would be conducted to ascertain how the alleged lapse occurred during the preparation and serving of the mid-day meal.
The incident has raised fresh concerns over food safety and quality control in school mid-day meal programmes.
