Nalanda, Aug 19: At least 36 girl students fell ill after detergent powder was allegedly added instead of salt to their mid-day meal at a government school in Bihar’s Nalanda district, prompting authorities to order a detailed inquiry into the incident.
The incident took place at Middle School in Parasi under the Noorsarai police station area, where students reportedly complained of dizziness and began vomiting after consuming the meal.
The affected students were initially given first aid at the school before being shifted to Biharsharif Sadar Hospital for medical treatment. Officials said all the students were stable and out of danger.
According to local residents, containers of salt and detergent powder were kept together in the school kitchen. The cook allegedly mistook the detergent for salt and added it to the food.
The meal served to the students was soybean rice, supplied by an NGO as per the prescribed menu, school principal Shailendra Kumar Singh said.
Some students had already eaten the meal when others complained that it did not contain enough salt. Soon afterwards, several students began feeling dizzy and vomiting, following which they were taken to the district hospital after their condition did not improve with initial treatment.
Civil Surgeon Dr Jay Prakash Singh visited the hospital and assessed the condition of the affected students. He said they were “out of danger”.
Bihar Rural Development Minister Shravan Kumar also visited the hospital and met the affected students, besides speaking to doctors about their condition.
The minister said a “detailed inquiry” would be conducted into the incident.
The investigation is expected to examine how detergent and salt came to be stored together in the school kitchen and how the substance was ultimately added to the students’ meal. Authorities will also examine the preparation and distribution process to determine how the alleged lapse occurred.
The incident has raised concerns over basic food-handling, storage and safety practices in school kitchens, particularly the need for proper identification and separate storage of substances used in preparing meals for students.
