When Meals Put Kids In Sick Bay

New Delhi, May 7 (UNI) A student died and 3,920 students in nine states took ill owing to inadequacies involved in mid-day meals-- for which cooks were fired and headmasters or headmistresses suspended, Parliament was told today.

Police complaints have been lodged in several cases, Minister of State for Human Resource Development M A A Fatmi said in reply to questions from Bharatiya Janata Party members Gyan Prakash Pilania, Rudra Narayan Pany and Raj Nath Singh in Rajya Sabha.

The order to serve ''every child in every government and government assisted primary school with a prepared mid-day meal'' was given by India's Supreme Court more than six years ago.

''Certain instances of food poisoning'' have come to the notice of government, Fatmi said.

The worst case was reported from Andhra Pradesh where a child in an upper primary school in Adilabad district ''swallowed the egg, developed breathing problem and expired within an hour.'' The state government reported that the death on February 6, 2007 was apparently due to asphyxia, Fatmi said, adding that a post mortem ''report is awaited.'' The school bore well was under repair at the time but ''steps have been taken to ensure'' that drinking water ''is made available in every school to every child'' before serving mid-day meals, Fatmi said, quoting the state government.

Andhra Pradesh also reported that 1,839 children fell ill after consuming such mid-day meals.

In cases ''where it was proved that the children had fallen ill due to negligence of the implementing agencies, such agencies were replaced. Appropriate warning has also been given to the school authorities to be vigilant,'' Fatmi said.

But not all incidents appear to have resulted in punitive action.

In Paschim Medinipur district, 85 children fell ill on May 4, 2005 after taking mid-day meal-- but the West Bengal government said ''no criminal intention or wilful misdeed was found.'' Here are some other cases the House was told about: As many as 1,242 children took ill in 34 schools in Karnataka-- and the cooks were replaced.

In Uttar Pradesh, 282 children in four districts took ill. FIR was lodged ''in two cases'' and ''appropriate action'' taken.

In Maharashtra, 208 children fell ill in four districts, in one of which, Jalgaon, a first information report was filed.

In Orissa, 39 children in a Balasore district school fell ill after taking food in which the cook ''mistakenly used Ammonium Sulphate considering it as edible salt.'' The cook was removed and the headmaster suspended.

In Cuttack district, 15 children fell ill, resulting in suspension of the headmaster.

In two incidents in Rajasthan, ten children fell ill in Rajasmand district and 61 in Karauli district. In the former, the cook was sacked and the headmaster and teachers concerned transferred. In the latter, action was ''initiated'' against the Block Development Officer, Additional Chief Executive of Zila Parishad and school headmistress and the teacher concerned.

In Tamil Nadu, 77 children took ill in Kancheepuram district after taking fungus-ridden food. The nutrition meal organiser, cook and assistant were suspended.

In Uttarakhand, two children in Nainital district fell ill afer eating stale food for which the school headmistress was suspended.

In West Bengal, 60 children fell ill in Nadia district after consuming meals infected by insecticide sprayed in a banana plantation near the school. An FIR was lodged against the plantation owner.

Fatmi said the central government has been continuously urging the state governments to: -- Ensure food is cooked in a hygienic environment; -- Food items are stored in dry and safe places; -- Drinking water is adequately made available; and -- Cooks are trained to adopt hygienic habits.

He said states have also been urged to involve the parents and community members to supervise the cooking and serving of mid-day meals to children.

UNI