New Delhi: A day after a dead rat was found in the midday meal of a school — due to which nine students fell ill — Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia directed the chief secretary to monitor the cooking of midday meals served in Delhi schools. The police has also lodged an FIR against two operators of an NGO who supplied midday meals to Government Boys Senior Secondary School in Deoli.
“I have ordered the chief secretary that all senior officers, including secretaries and principal secretaries, will inspect the kitchens based on my parameters and give me report within one week. Similarly, all kitchens in Delhi will regularly be inspected,” Mr Sisodia said, adding, “In the morning today, I had sent my officers to this kitchen at 4.30 am to take stock of the situation there.”
Nine students from the government school were rushed to the Madan Mohan Malviya hospital on Thursday when they were taken ill after consuming the rat-contaminated food. Mr Sisodia, who is also the education minister, visited the students at the hospital on Thursday.
According to police officials, an FIR has been registered against the operators of Jan Chetna Jagriti Evam Shaikshik Vikas Manch, K.P. Singh and Sanjay Malik, under relevant sections on the complaint of school principal Giriraj Singh Sharma.
“We have sent the food samples for test and are awaiting medical reports of the affected children to move forward. Further sections could be added and more people may be booked, if needed. No one has been arrested so far,” a senior police official said.
“The school principal also alleged that Malik and his associates, who were present at the school, ran away carrying the remaining food,” he added.
When asked about the allegations regarding the kitchens being operated by a relative of an MLA, he said, “We will not spare anyone who plays with the lives of students, even if he or she is the relative of an MLA, minister, or even the PM.”
We will ensure strict action against the vendor. We will not tolerate those who play with the lives of students. We will teach them such a lesson that no one in future can do it again,” he added.
