This Article is From Sep 12, 2013

20 children fall ill after eating mid-day meal in Uttar Pradesh

Lakhimpur Kheri: As many as 20 children fell ill on Wednesday after eating mid-day meal at a primary school in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh.

The children, who started vomiting and complained of abdominal pain, were rushed to the local community health centre, district basic education officer OP Ray said.

"All the children were discharged after treatment and are said to be safe and sound," Mr Ray added.

"The headmistress, Shanti Devi, has been suspended with immediate effect as she failed to taste the food prior to its being served to the children despite strict instructions in this regard," the officer said.

"An explanation has been sought over the incident from the cooks who prepared the meal and the block education officer," he said.

Samples of the food served to the children have been collected and the district food and drug inspector has been asked to file a report in the matter, he added.

Twenty-three children at a government school in Bihar's Saran district died after consuming mid-day meal in July in a case that had shocked the country.

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