NHRC issues notice to Bihar over mid-day meal tragedy

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Wednesday sought a report from the Bihar government over the July 16 death of 23 students after they ate their mid-day meal in a school in Saran district of the state.

Dozens of students of another school in Madhubani district also were stricken ill after they ate their mid-day meal in the school premises.

"Bihar's chief secretary and Director General of Police have been asked to submit the report in four weeks," an official of the NHRC said.

While 50 students took ill after consuming mid-day meal in Madhubani, 23 died as there was a poisonous substance in the meal in Saran district, where the cook was reportedly forced to use a vessel used for storing pesticide in cooking the meal that day.

Many children were battling for life in Patna Medical College, the official said.

The commission also stated that a response to its earlier notice, dated July 17, is still awaited.

In Wednesday's notice, the commission has asked whether any legal action had been taken in the case and compensation proposed to the kin of the deceased. The NHRC has also sought to know whether any preventive measures have been taken to prevent such instances in future.