A human rights body in India is investigating claims that over a hundred children became ill after consuming a school lunch. The reason for this incident was the discovery of a dead snake in the food, yet the cook still proceeded to serve the meal. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) stated that approximately 500 students in Mokama city, located in the eastern state of Bihar, were served the contaminated food. Protesters subsequently blocked a road in response to the children falling ill.
The NHRC emphasized that if the allegations are true, they constitute a grave violation of the students’ human rights. They have requested a comprehensive report within two weeks from senior state officials, including the health status of the children.
The Mid-Day Meal program, which provides free school meals, was initially introduced in Chennai (formerly known as Madras) in 1925 to address hunger and encourage school attendance for children from impoverished backgrounds. It has become one of the largest such programs globally. However, concerns have been raised regarding the food hygiene standards.
In 2013, tainted food was cited as the cause of death for 23 schoolchildren in Bihar state. Scientific tests revealed extremely toxic levels of pesticides in the food.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g2qe008v6o
