As many as 37 school children and the cook were admitted to the hospital in Bihar on Wednesday after they allegedly consumed a mid-day meal.
The incident took place at a government school in the Pakaridayal subdivision of Bihar's East Champaran district.
According to a report by DNA, the confirmation of the incident was given by Pakaridayal's sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), Kumar Ravindra.
As per the SDM, 37 children from Rajkiya Madhya Vidyalay in Sishani village on Wednesday complained of stomach aches and unease hours after eating their mid-day meal in the village school.
"We immediately arranged to hospitalise them at subdivision hospital in Pakaridayal from their residences in the evening where they are having treatment," media reports quoted the sub-divisional magistrate as saying. He added that an investigation into the matter is underway.
According to media reports, children complained of sickness a few minutes after lunch. Upon receiving the news of the deteriorating health of the children, the family members reached the school after which they were rushed to the sub-divisional hospital.
"At first glance, the illness seems to be the result of food poisoning." These kids have been under our active surveillance for 24 hours. However, the specific reason might well be determined when the food sample is examined," East Champaran civil surgeon said.
Meanwhile, officials suspect the quality of edible oil used for preparing the meal was of inferior quality.
The menace of students falling sick or even death in some cases after eating mid-day meals in government schools is not new. On 16 July 2013, at least 23 students died, and dozens more fell ill at a primary school in the village of Gandaman in the Saran district of the Indian state of Bihar after eating a midday meal contaminated with pesticide.
(with sources inputs)
