Odisha: 40 students fall ill after eating mid-day meal in school

At least 40 students of government-run Udayabata Upper Primary school at a village fell ill after allegedly eating a mid-day meal, officials said on Thursday.

The students developed vomiting and loose motion yesterday after eating the mid-day meal that included eggs at the school in Bhagabanpur village. Some of them showed symptoms of nausea, the officials said.

While 20 of the affected students were rushed to nearby Marshaghai Community Health Center, the rest of the sick students recovered after medical aid, they said. The students who were hospitalized have recovered and have been discharged from hospital, the sources said.

The sickness was due to food poisoning. The food served to the students were either stale or unfit for human consumption, they said.

"Allegations were leveled by the parents that their wards were forced to eat substandard food during mid-day meal.

Some of them charged that rotten eggs were served to the students," said the district education officer (DEO), Markat Keshari Ray. Officials are making an on-the-spot investigation of the incident. Those found responsible for serving substandard food would be taken to task, he said.