At least 18 students fell ill after consuming mid-day meal, which was allegedly contaminated by a dead scorpion in a school situated at Khamariya village of Balodabazar.
District collector Rajesh Sukumar Toppo informed that condition of all the students was out of danger and that teacher in-charge of mid-day meal has been suspended. The Collector informed that “a girl in a Government middle school in Khamariya village of Sarsinwa region, while consuming the meal allegedly spotted the scorpion following which she complained to school authorities.”
The distribution of mid-day-meal is done in two phase Collector said. On Wednesday in the first phase boys consumed the food and then the food was distributed to girl students. After the girl reported the issue, students also started complaining of nausea and started vomiting. They were rushed to a nearby primary health centre, Collector maintained.
“All the students have been discharged after providing treatment,” the collector claimed. According to the officials after preliminary investigation teacher Hemant Sahu, who is in-charge of the midday meal in the school, has been suspended while the local self help group (SHG), involved in cooking food under the scheme, have also been removed from the meal preparations.
About 45 students had attended the school on Wednesday and consumed the mid-day-meal, the official said.