Chhattisgarh: Children hospitalized after consuming mid-day meal

At least 29 children were hospitalized on Saturday after consuming mid-day meal at a school in Chhattisgarh's Korba district.

"I don't know but the food smelled of alcohol, we felt unconscious after eating it," said one of the students.

District Magistrate Reena Babasaheb Kangale, has assured that a thorough investigation would be conducted to find out the truth. She said that none of the students are in a critical condition.

"Out of a total strength of 47, around 30 students who were present today had eaten the mid-day meal and after that a few felt puckish. The head master to avoid further risk sent around 29 students here; nine girls and 20 boys have been admitted to the hospital. Their treatment is going on. All the students are stable, but they are feeling uneasy and there must have definitely been something in the food," said Kangale.

"They ate cereal, rice and vegetable in the lunch. So, there must have been something in the vegetable that's why they felt uneasy. But no student is suffering from critical situation or is unconscious. The investigation will be carried out by the SDM, he has seized the material," she added.

Earlier in July this year, at least 15 students had fallen ill after consuming the mid-day meal at a government school in Bihar's Madhubani district. In another incident, 20 students had died in Dharamsati in Chhapra district earlier.