54 kids ill after eating food at school, hostel

A total of 54 children took ill in two separate incidents after consuming food cooked in hostel and school in Chikkamagaluru and Chikkaballapur districts respectively on Wednesday.

Thirty-three students staying at backward classes and minorities girls (BCM) hostel in Shiravase in Chikkamagaluru taluk complained of stomach ache and began to throw up after consuming ‘puliyogare’ prepared at the hostel. They were immediately shifted to the district hospital.

The doctor at the district hospital said the students had responded to the treatment and will be discharged on Thursday. Food safety officer Dr Manjunath said water and ‘puliyogare’ samples had been collected from the hostel and sent to the laboratory in Mysuru for analysis.

In another incident, 21 schools took ill after consuming the midday meal at government high school in Lakshmidevanakote in Chintamani taluk of Chikkaballapur district.

Out of the total 82 children in school who had a midday meal, two complained of stomach ache soon after having the food. Soon after, other children also fell sick. They were all brought to a public hospital by ambulance for treatment. All children are safe, taluk medical officer Dr Ramachandra Reddy said. The food samples have been sent to a lab for analysis, he said.

Block Education officer Narendra Kumar said that the midday meal was not prepared in the school and the responsibility has been entrusted to a private organisation. He said that all the children were safe.