Jaipur: Sixty-four students of a govt school at Surwas village in Sujangarh block of Churu district were rushed to hospital Saturday after consuming a mid-day meal that included a vegetable curry in which a dead lizard was discovered later.While most of the students were discharged from the Sujangarh sub-district hospital after treatment, doctors said three were kept under observation.The students had been served vegetable curry and chapatis prepared at the school campus earlier in the day. Shortly after the meal was over, a dead lizard was discovered in the curry, with officials saying several students soon complained of vomiting, stomach ache and uneasiness.As word of the incident spread through the village, anxious parents and residents rushed to the school and demanded answers from the administration over what they termed a grave lapse in hygiene and monitoring.The school administration alerted the health department, which dispatched a medical team and ambulances to the spot, according to chief medical and health officer, Churu, Manoj Sharma.Sujangarh sub-district hospital principal medical officer Purshottam Karwa said all the students brought in were treated for various symptoms.“We gave oral medication to all students and administered antacids intravenously to three students who complained of stomach ache and vomiting,” he said.Health officials collected samples of the vegetable curry, chapatis and drinking water from the school for laboratory testing.The incident sparked outrage among parents and villagers, who questioned the school’s hygiene standards and supervision of its mid-day meal programme.Following the uproar, the district administration assured that responsibility for the incident would be fixed.“We have sought a factual report on the incident from the school. We will also be sending a team down to the school to inspect its facilities,” chief district education officer, Churu, Santosh Mahrishi, told TOI.According to the education department, three women from Surwas village had been given responsibility for preparing the school’s mid-day meal.
