Hyderabad: The Union government has taken serious note of the recent media reports about a lizard found in the breakfast served to students of a girls’ hostel attached to a government school in the Medak district of Telangana.
The ministry clarified that the Telangana government provides breakfast under its scheme and is not covered under the Centre’s ‘PM POSHAN’ scheme.
Reiterating that the PM POSHAN Scheme provides hot-cooked midday meals in schools, the ministry advised all the states and Union territories to take appropriate steps to ensure safety norms and provide properly cooked food for the students.
In a report submitted to higher officials, including the District Collector, the DEO stated that a student noticed the lizard in the upma, prompting the caretaker to stop the meal service and take 17 students who had eaten the dish to the health centre in Ramayampet Mandal. Two students with stomach pain were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Medak, while the remaining 15 were discharged from the health centre.
Later, 70 more students were taken for check-ups. All were observed for six hours for symptoms of food poisoning, but none were found.
“Except for two students who were suffering from stomach pain, all the remaining 15 students were discharged from the hospital. Both the students have been shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Medak,” the DEO said in the report.
A cook and an assistant cook were terminated for alleged negligence, and show cause notices were issued to the caretaker and the Special Officer of the Model School Girls’ Hostel, according to the Medak District Educational Officer (DEO).
