In India, the mid-day meal scheme has been one of the country’s landmark welfare schemes, providing a hot cooked meal to children in government and government-aided schools.However, the menace of food adulteration has crept in here as well.&nbsp;In a shocking incident from Bihar's Nalanda district, multiple girl students studying at the Parasi school fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal.&nbsp;And guess what did they consume? Detergent! But what led to this incident?&nbsp;It is learnt that the mid-day meal was prepared at a different location and brought to the school.&nbsp;Students asked for salt to be added as a vegetable dish apparently lacked it.&nbsp;During the process, detergent powder was mistakenly served instead of salt.&nbsp;Shortly thereafter, many students began complaining of stomach pain and vomiting.&nbsp;While students were initially provided first aid, they were subsequently admitted to a nearby hospital by the school staff and parents.&nbsp;The incident caused panic among the students' families and chaotic scenes were witnessed at the hospital.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Following this incident, several doctors, including Nalanda Civil Surgeon Dr. Jai Prakash Singh, srrived at the hospital to assess the condition of the children. Bihar Rural Development Minister, Shravan Kumar, also met the affected students. He promised that a detailed inquiry will be conducted to ascertain how the alleged lapse occurred in the preparation and serving of the mid-day meal. Apart from encouraging attendance, retention and enrollment in schools, the mid-day meal scheme has another key goal - addressing the issue of malnutrition among children. Thus, this scheme is of vital significance in Bihar, where 35.6% of children under age of five are stunted, as per the latest national family health survey. The proportion of stunted children in this age group is the highest for any state in India. Incidentally, this is not the first such incident in Bihar. In May, over 150 children fell ill after consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal at a school in Saharsa district. This raises a key question. Why have we not been able to ensure hygienic food for even our children? It is imperative that all governments take effective steps to maintain the quality of the mid-day meal.

The mid-day meal scheme is of vital significance in Bihar, where 35.6% of children under the age of five are stunted, as per the latest national family health survey. The proportion of stunted children in this age group is the highest for any state in India.

In India, the mid-day meal scheme has been one of the country’s landmark welfare schemes, providing a hot cooked meal to children in government and government-aided schools. However, the menace of food adulteration has crept in here as well. In a shocking incident from Bihar's Nalanda district, multiple girl students studying at the Parasi school fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal. And guess what did they consume? Detergent! But what led to this incident? It is learnt that the mid-day meal was prepared at a different location and brought to the school. Students asked for salt to be added as a vegetable dish apparently lacked it. During the process, detergent powder was mistakenly served instead of salt. Shortly thereafter, many students began complaining of stomach pain and vomiting. While students were initially provided first aid, they were subsequently admitted to a nearby hospital by the school staff and parents. The incident caused panic among the students' families and chaotic scenes were witnessed at the hospital.

The mid-day meal scheme is of vital significance in Bihar, where 35.6% of children under the age of five are stunted, as per the latest national family health survey. The proportion of stunted children in this age group is the highest for any state in India.

Students given detergent instead of salt in Bihar mid-day meal, shifted to hospital | Gravitas

At least 36 girl students at a government middle school in Bihar's Nalanda district fell ill on Tuesday (Aug 19) after consuming their regular mid-day meal. The incident took place at the middle school in Parasi, located within the Noorsarai police station area. According to the school principal, the meal consisting of soybean rice was supplied by an NGO in accordance with the standard menu. Shortly after the food was served, some students noticed a lack of salt. Residents reported that salt and washing detergent powder were kept together in the school kitchen, leading the cook to mistakenly use detergent instead of salt.&nbsp;Affected students soon began experiencing dizziness and vomiting. Initial treatment was administered at the school premises, but they were subsequently transferred to Biharsharif Sadar Hospital as their symptoms persisted. Civil Surgeon Dr Jay Prakash Singh visited the medical facility to monitor the situation, confirming that all hospitalised children were safe and in stable condition. Additionally, Bihar Rural Development Minister Shravan Kumar arrived at the hospital to check on the students and confer with attending physicians regarding their recovery. Authorities have announced that a thorough investigation will be conducted to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the preparation error.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/short-videos/assam-students-risk-their-lives-crossing-river-to-reach-school-1787132726819">Assam students risk their lives crossing river to reach school</a>&nbsp;To prevent similar accidents in the future, educational authorities and local administration are facing mounting pressure to enforce stricter safety protocols across all government-run institutions. Kitchen management in public schools has come under intense scrutiny, with child rights advocates calling for a mandatory overhaul of how food supplies, condiments, and cleaning agents are stored. Currently, many rural schools struggle with limited infrastructure, often forcing staff to store cooking ingredients and cleaning supplies in cramped, poorly organised spaces.Experts emphasise that proper training for mid-day meal staff, alongside strict categorisation and labelling of kitchen materials, is urgently required. The mid-day meal scheme is a critical lifeline for millions of underprivileged children across India, serving not only as an incentive for school attendance but also as a primary source of daily nutrition. Incidents involving food contamination, whether accidental or due to negligence, undermine public trust in these welfare programs and pose severe risks to student health.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/month-after-backlash-west-bengal-govt-clarifies-on-eggs-in-mid-day-meals-amid-iskcon-s-entry-1785382407928">Month after backlash, West Bengal govt clarifies on eggs in mid-day meals amid ISKCON’s entry</a>&nbsp;As the local administration in Nalanda initiates its formal inquiry, parents and community members are demanding accountability from both the school administration and the external NGO supplier. Ensuring the safety of students requires continuous oversight, improved storage facilities, and regular health and safety audits in every school kitchen.

Discover the details of the Nalanda mid-day meal incident where 36 students fell ill after detergent was mistakenly used instead of salt.

At least 36 girl students at a government middle school in Bihar's Nalanda district fell ill on Tuesday (Aug 19) after consuming their regular mid-day meal. The incident took place at the middle school in Parasi, located within the Noorsarai police station area. According to the school principal, the meal consisting of soybean rice was supplied by an NGO in accordance with the standard menu. Shortly after the food was served, some students noticed a lack of salt. Residents reported that salt and washing detergent powder were kept together in the school kitchen, leading the cook to mistakenly use detergent instead of salt. Affected students soon began experiencing dizziness and vomiting. Initial treatment was administered at the school premises, but they were subsequently transferred to Biharsharif Sadar Hospital as their symptoms persisted. Civil Surgeon Dr Jay Prakash Singh visited the medical facility to monitor the situation, confirming that all hospitalised children were safe and in stable condition. Additionally, Bihar Rural Development Minister Shravan Kumar arrived at the hospital to check on the students and confer with attending physicians regarding their recovery. Authorities have announced that a thorough investigation will be conducted to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the preparation error. Also read: Assam students risk their lives crossing river to reach school To prevent similar accidents in the future, educational authorities and local administration are facing mounting pressure to enforce stricter safety protocols across all government-run institutions. Kitchen management in public schools has come under intense scrutiny, with child rights advocates calling for a mandatory overhaul of how food supplies, condiments, and cleaning agents are stored. Currently, many rural schools struggle with limited infrastructure, often forcing staff to store cooking ingredients and cleaning supplies in cramped, poorly organised spaces. Experts emphasise that proper training for mid-day meal staff, alongside strict categorisation and labelling of kitchen materials, is urgently required. The mid-day meal scheme is a critical lifeline for millions of underprivileged children across India, serving not only as an incentive for school attendance but also as a primary source of daily nutrition. Incidents involving food contamination, whether accidental or due to negligence, undermine public trust in these welfare programs and pose severe risks to student health. Also read: Month after backlash, West Bengal govt clarifies on eggs in mid-day meals amid ISKCON’s entry As the local administration in Nalanda initiates its formal inquiry, parents and community members are demanding accountability from both the school administration and the external NGO supplier. Ensuring the safety of students requires continuous oversight, improved storage facilities, and regular health and safety audits in every school kitchen.

Discover the details of the Nalanda mid-day meal incident where 36 students fell ill after detergent was mistakenly used instead of salt.

Nalanda mid-meal scare: 36 students fall ill after consuming meal contaminated with detergent

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Students given detergent instead of salt in Bihar mid-day meal, shifted to hospital | Gravitas

36 students fall ill after consuming mid-day meal mixed with detergent in Bihar