BELONIA, April 10 (TIWN): It’s a depressing tale of over 50 children falling sick after consuming their free lunch at a primary school in Tripura. While the government mid-day meal scheme in schools is such an essential component to meet the nutrition needs of thousands of children across the country, this is clearly a case of downright negligence on part of the local administration that needs strict action. As many as 50 students of Mirzapur Higher Secondary School at Belonia in South Tripura fell ill after consuming mid-day meal. The incident took place on Thursday and later all of them were admitted to Belonia Sub-Divisional hospital. At least 19 students were undergoing treatment at the hospital while rest of them was under observation.However on Friday morning the students who were undergoing treatment were discharged from the hospital. Besides, the Director of School Education Uttam Kumar Chakma (In-charge) along with School Inspector and other officials today visited the school and had a conversation with the students.UK Chakma said, “The students might have fell sick due to the food poisoning, but we will investigate the matter soon.”

Besides, the SFI Divisional committee on Friday placed a deputation with the School Head Master Santosh Pal seeking healthy investigation of the matter.

According to the report at least 90% of students had not attended the school today as the incident on Thursday has triggered a worry among the students and the guardians.

However, but most surprisingly no samples of the meal taking which the students fell sick has not been collected by the school authorities, while the negligence of the hospital authorities has also come under the limelight as the doctors had not collected the sample of heaves of the sick students.

Asked about the matter, no authorities could provide a satisfactory reason for not collecting the heaves of the students. A special team of a doctor along with CMO of the concerned hospital also visited the school and invigilated the store room of the school kitchen where the food items are kept. They found the rice is not kept properly while the school authorities were also found cooking the mid-day meal with red chili powder instead of green chili.

Director of School Education Uttam Kumar Chakma (In-charge) talking to the school students.  TIWN Pic April 10

However, it is to be mentioned here that earlier several such incidents had already occurred in the govt. schools, but in spite of that no school authorities were found taking better care of the mid day meal with another 50 students were found fell sick after taking a mid day meal.