Koraput, Dec 13: More than 50 students of a government school in Odisha’s Koraput district fell ill after allegedly consuming contaminated food, triggering concern among parents and authorities alike.
The incident was reported from Banshaput Upper Primary School in Bandhugaon block. It has raised concerns over the monitoring of mid-day meals and the quality of food served in hostels at state-run schools.
Preliminary reports indicate that the students fell sick after allegedly consuming stale and unhygienic rice provided at the school hostel.
Following reports of the mass illness, a medical team from the Narayanpatna health department rushed to the hostel and began emergency treatment. Worried parents and local residents expressed outrage, questioning the negligence that led to the health scare.
The episode comes soon after a similar incident in the district, where around 41 inmates of the PM Shri School hostel in Siribeda reportedly fell ill after dinner. About 35 students were hospitalised after alerting the hostel warden and were later shifted to the Borigumma Medical Centre for further treatment.
