Bihar mid-day meal poisoning: Death toll rises to 22

Patna: Death toll of children who fell ill after having mid-day meal at a state-run primary school in Bihar's Saran district, rose to 22 on Wednesday. Watch: 20 kids dead, angry protests in Chhapra | Political parties slam Bihar govtPrincipal Secretary, education, Amarjeet Sinha said that he suspected the deaths occurred by organo phosphorous poisoning caused due to traces of insecticides.Till late night Tuesday, District Magistrate Abhijit Sinha said 10 children died after the mid-day meal at Dharamsati primary school in Masrakh in Saran, about 100 km from here. But later ten more children died this morning with the toll rising to 12 by afternoon. More than 60 children fell ill too.Over two dozen sick children have been brought to the Patna Medical College and Hospital after their condition deteriorated."Some ten children are still critical," a hospital official said.Nitish Kumar expressed shock over the incident and announced a compensation of Rs.2 lakh to the kin of each of the dead school children.In Bihar, widespread corruption is reported in the mid-day meal scheme and government guidelines on food quality are ignored.

"There were complaints in the past also on the food quality in Bihar still no efforts were made on this," rued Congress leader Jagdambika Pal.In past, dead lizards, frogs, insects and a rat were found in the food cooked for the mid-day meal, angering students and parents.

Violent protests erupted in Chhapra with the opposition RJD and BJP calling for a bandh in the district today.

"It's a very sad incident. They have made this scheme a joke. Rotten food is being served to the kids who are the future of our country. There isn't anything a government functioning in Bihar. This incident should be thoroughly investigated," said RJD President Lalu Prasad Yadav.

State BJP leader Giriraj Singh slammed Nitish Kumar for not visitng the families of the deceased till now."Nine of them are very serious. The CM didn't visit. Rs 2 lakh compensation is not enough to heal the wounds of the victims' parents. He is an insensitive CM. If they would have a bit of humanity left they would have visited the parents by now," said Giriraj Singh.

In a new case today two children had to be admitted to a hospital after they fell ill consuming food at a mid-day meal in the state's Madhubani district. The two kids are reportedly out of danger now.

Watch: 20 kids dead, angry protests in Chhapra | Political parties slam Bihar govt

Last Updated on Wednesday, 17 July 2013 17:10