Free meal poisons 442 kids

Even as the Karnataka government moved to salvage its Rs 320-crore ‘‘Akshara Dasoha’’ mid-day meal scheme for primary schools that seems to have gone awry, there were more reports of suspected food poisoning, with 406 students from two schools in Davanagere being treated for diarrhoea and vomiting on Friday while 33 more reported sick in Dharwad and three in Mandya.

As many as 406 students, including 203 girls, of Kannada and Tamil medium schools situated in Davanagere’s Bharath Colony, complained of loose motion and vomiting after eating the pulao supplied in their schools. They were rushed to the CG Hospital and Bapuji Hospital. Around 20 children, whose condition is serious, have been admitted to the hospitals while others were discharged after giving injections and ORS water. However, doctors have not reported a single case of food poisoning.

Following the incident, the district administration has stopped the mid-day meals in 41 schools of Davanagere North Sector till July 7. But supply of food in other parts of the district will continue.

Story continues below this ad

All 41 schools with a total of 10,000 children were supplied food by the Social Welfare Institute of Mankind (SWIM), a voluntary organisation. A case will be booked against SWIM, SP Sunil Agarwal said in Davanagere.

A detailed investigation into the quality of rice supplied and utensils used for cooking will be conducted. Food samples have been sent for examination to the Public Health Institute at Bangalore, Agarwal said.

Expressing concern over the spate of suspected food poisoning, Chief Minister S.M. Krishna said today that he had told officials concerned to take necessary action to avoid recurrence of such incidents.