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Probe ordered into lizard presence in mid-day meal
Even as the government has been promoting Akshaya Patra Foundation for supplying mid-day meal to the school children across the State, a lizard found in Rasam served to students of a government primary school at SC Colony in Kantepalli of Venkatachalam mandal on Monday. Villagers were panicked after knowing few children and teachers have consumed rice mixed with Rasam.
Nellore: Even as the government has been promoting Akshaya Patra Foundation for supplying mid-day meal to the school children across the State, a lizard found in Rasam served to students of a government primary school at SC Colony in Kantepalli of Venkatachalam mandal on Monday. Villagers were panicked after knowing few children and teachers have consumed rice mixed with Rasam.
A team of doctors rushed to the village and shifted 10 students and few teachers to PHC at Venkatachalam for treatment. The officials have heaved a sigh of relief as no poison symptoms were found in them. Consequently, official mechanism started a probe on the incident how a reptile appeared in the utensil of Rasam being served to school children and questions are being raised about the quality of food supplied by the Akshaya Patra Foundation.
“On Monday, we received information that a lizard was found in Rasam utensil which was served to the children and teachers of government primary school. Immediately, school children and teachers were shifted to PHC in 108 ambulance service,” said Somla Naik, Tahsildar. He stated that lizard was found while cleaning the utensil after serving food.
The district administration directed the Deputy Educational Officer and others for a thorough enquiry on the incident keeping in view of health condition of the school children. Teams have collected information from local people, children, teachers and staff members of the foundation on the incident.
In fact, the Akshaya Patra Foundation serves food for 25,000 children in Nellore district having its centralised kitchen at Kakuturu close to the National Highway 16 which was started this year. The foundation is also serving food to school children and patients in Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, and Kakinada.
“There were complaints from children on poor quality of food being served to them. Still, we have been accepting it as the foundation is popular and was approved by the State government. But, the incident on Monday raised eyebrows on quality and care of the food,” said a teacher from Venkatachalam mandal. He added that some students, who vexed with the taste, have been bringing food from their houses. Further, a team led by Deputy EO Yazdani Basha visited the school and collected information from the teachers, children and villagers.
They also visited the central kitchen on Tuesday and enquired any lapses on the part of food supplying agency. Representatives of the Akshaya Patra Foundation also sent samples of the Rasam and other food items for lab testing and the report is expected to reach in a couple of days.
Basha said they would submit their findings to the District Educational Officer. On Tuesday, Sarvepalli MLA K Govardhan Reddy interacted with government school children at Kantepalli village.
