Bengaluru: Over 22 students fell ill after consuming midday meals at Mundgod Government Model School in Uttara Kannada district, raising serious concerns over food safety under the Akshara Dasoha scheme. Parents allege gross negligence by authorities, demanding immediate action and strict investigation into the incident.
According to reports, the students consumed school-provided meals that were found to contain foreign matter, including twigs and other inedible debris. Alarmingly, the food served contained rat droppings, further aggravating concerns about hygiene and safety.
Of the affected students, 12 were admitted in critical condition, while the rest have recovered. Classrooms witnessed children suffering from severe abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting following the meal.
Parents expressed outrage over the substandard quality of the food and the school’s inability to provide timely explanations or assurances. “The meals provided to our children were unfit for consumption, and despite bringing this to the attention of authorities, no action was taken,” said one parent.
Several schools across the district, including Haliyal’s Deshpande Ashraya Government Primary School, Gudnapur Colony, Deshpande Nagar Government School, and the Urdu school, reportedly received similarly contaminated food supplies, with evidence of pests and spoiled grains.
The school cafeteria, according to parents, is in deplorable condition, with unhygienic storage of grains and other items. They allege that despite repeated complaints to the local Block Education Officer (BEO) and other officials, no corrective measures were implemented.
The Akshara Dasoha scheme provides meals to students across all taluks in the district, with a designated food committee tasked with quality inspection. While school principals hold the authority to reject substandard food, the Mundgod incident highlights lapses in both oversight and accountability. Experts warn that such negligence can have severe health consequences for children and undermine public confidence in government welfare programs.
Authorities have been urged to conduct thorough quality checks on all food supplies, inspect school kitchens, and hold responsible officials accountable. Parents demand immediate corrective measures, including sanitation of school kitchens, replacement of spoiled grains, and strict monitoring of vendors supplying food under the scheme.
This incident has triggered widespread outrage across the district, with social media users calling for accountability and stricter enforcement of food safety standards in schools. Education and health officials are being pressed to implement systemic reforms to ensure children’s safety and prevent similar occurrences in the future.
The Mundgod case underscores the urgent need for vigilance and transparency in school meal programs, ensuring that welfare initiatives meant to support children’s nutrition do not become a source of health hazards.
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