About 80 rotten eggs were found in a batch of 15,000 eggs supplied to a midday meal centre in Ambur in the district, after which the District Collector suspended a block level official today.
According to officials, the rotten eggs were found by the staff of the noon meal centre at a matriculation school yesterday and the school headmaster brought it to the notice of the local MLA and District Collector P Shankar.
The Collector's Personal Assistant (Noon Meal) conducted an inspection and after finding the rotten eggs, the entire batch of 15,000 eggs was replaced last night as a precaution, the officials said.
The Collector ordered suspension of Mathanur Block Junior Assistant, they said, adding that a notice was issued to the Namakkal-based firm which supplied the eggs.
He also directed initiation of departmental inquiry against Deputy BDO Sivaprakasam, the sources said.
The incident comes close on the heels of over 100 students falling sick after eating food served at a school in Neyveli and the midday meal tragedy in Bihar which claimed lives of 23 children.
Officials clarified that only about 0.6 per cent of the eggs supplied were found to be rotten and the entire batch was replaced to allay any fears among the students and parents in the wake of the recent midday meal incidents.
Under the the Midday Meal scheme, students are provided an egg each day from Monday to Friday along with the meal.
