Assam: 71 children fall sick after taking mid-day meals

At least 71 school children of a lower primary school in Barbaruah Tea Estate in Dibrugarh district of Assam fell sick after taking mid-day meal provided by the government on Monday.

All of them had to be admitted to nearby Assam Medical College Hospital.

Official sources in Dibrugarh informed that most of the children had fortunately recovered quickly and were released from the hospital, except nine who were still undergoing treatment. It was also confirmed by sources in the hospital.

The school is located in Barbaruah Tea Estate, which is owned by McLeod Russel India Ltd. The district magistrate has ordered a probe into the incident and the police has picked up the teachers and the cook for interrogation. The children hail from the tea estate.

While the government provides rice for the mid-day meal scheme, it also provides cash for procuring vegetables and other inputs. In case of tea garden schools, the cook and teachers are engaged by the company that owns the tea garden.

The administration has collected samples of the water served to the school children on Monday. Even samples of vomiting of the children were also collected to ascertain the reason behind the mass sickness among them.