14 BMC schoolchildren hospitalised for food poisoning

Mumbai, Dec 19 (UNI) At least 14 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) school children were today hospitalised here, after they complained of giddiness and started vomitting after consuming flavoured milk supplied in a tetra-pack to them.

The students, aged 8-12 years, of Jagannath Shankar Seth Marathi Primary school were admitted to Nair Hospital at around 1510 hours, after they consumed milk supplied at the BMC school by the corporation. The students were normal after a few hours of treatment.

This is the second such incident. The first took place on December 14 when 34 children from New L G Road Municipal School at Dadar were admitted to hospital for food poisoning after consuming the milk.

BMC Commissioner Jairaj Phatak said ''More than 4.5 lakh students are given milk daily and the same should not be stopped after such stray incidents.'' Speaking in the Standing Committee meeting, Mr Phatak said if the committee wants, the administration will stop the distribution of milk, but 4.5 lakh students who benefit by the scheme.

Opposition leader in the corporation Rajhans Singh said such incidents should not recur as the students will stop drinking milk out of fear.

Leader of the House Sunil Prabhu demanded a State CID inquiry in the matter.

Incidentally, the milk supplier made a presentation on the purity of milk in the Standing Committee today.

UNI