Post News Network
Angul, Jan 7: In a shocking incident, five kids, including a boy of Bedashar Upper-Primary School under Banarpal block here, were taken ill after eating boiled eggs during lunch for the mid-day meal programme implemented in their school Wednesday.
The students complained of stomach ache and head reeling, following which school authorities rushed them to the district headquarters hospital. They were administered injections and saline and were kept under observation as few of them collapsed in intervals during treatment. The affected kids have been identified as Ganga Nayak, Padmini Nayak, Lakshmipriya Nayak, Swarnalakshmi Nayak and Archana Nayak in the village. While Ganga is a boy, the rest are girls. The incident triggered tension among villagers as anxious parents thronged the hospital premises.
According to Swarnalakshmi, one of the affected girls, they were served eggs during lunch which were not fully boiled. The yolk inside the eggs was red
and tasted ‘different’. They experienced severe stomach ache while washing their plates after lunch. They informed their teacher, who admitted them to the hospital, she said. Sub-collector Prassana Kumar Das rushed to the hospital and announced that the district administration will bear the entire cost of treating the affected students. Das also enquired about their health condition from aggrieved parents and doctors in the hospital. He simultaneously directed the BDO of Banarpal Abinash Rout to conduct an inquiry and submit a report to him by Thursday. Chief district medical officer Dr Bidyadhar Sahoo accompanied Das during his visit to the hospital. Rout visited the school in the afternoon and conducted an inquiry by meeting teachers, other students and the villagers.
Headmaster (in-charge) Tirtha Charan Das said he was not aware why the kids fell ill, adding he has apprised the school management committee members. Das added that the actual reason can only be ascertained after discussing with the self-help group supplying food stocks to the school. District education officer Sachidananda Das said he will send a team Thursday to probe the matter.