NEW DELHI, Dec 2: Around 60 children in a private school fell ill after eating food in the school canteen in Sangrur in Punjab, police said on Saturday. The students, who suffered from stomach aches and vomiting, were rushed to hospital and are currently undergoing treatment.
The contractor in charge of the canteen food has been arrested, and an enquiry by the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) has been ordered into the matter.
On Friday evening, 20 children at the Meritorious School reached the government hospital in Sangrur, complaining of stomach aches and vomiting. Out of these, 15 children were discharged. However, on Saturday, more children experienced health issues due to food poisoning, and over three dozen were hospitalised. Nearly 50 children are currently undergoing treatment in the hospital.
The initial examination by the doctors revealed that the students had consumed contaminated food, leading to food poisoning. Officials are investigating the issue, and food samples have been collected from the canteen for further tests.
The students claimed that they had spotted worms in the food served at the hostel since Diwali and had reported the issue to their teachers. “The students were not even eating properly due to this, and we found worms in the food. We brought up the issue with the teachers. This time, they fell ill, and several are suffering from stomach issues,” said a student.
Parents urged the authorities to take strong action against the management of the school, which is in the home constituency of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The parents alleged that the school authorities did not check the quality of the food before serving it to the children. The Sangrur Deputy Commissioner has formed multiple teams from the Health Department and the Education Department to probe the matter. They have been directed to submit a report to the District Commissioner within a week.
(Manas Dasgupta)
