Out of 2,020 eggs supplied to anganwadis across Tiruppur city, 1,106 eggs were found to be spoiled and unfit for consumption on Thursday, according to officials of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).
K. Maragadam, District Project Officer (Tiruppur), ICDS, told The Hindu on Friday that the eggs were supplied to 25 anganwadi centres across the city including Angeripalayam, Anupparpalayam and Iduvampalayam.
“The problem was first reported in Angeripalayam,” Ms. Maragadam said, where the anganwadi workers found the eggs to be floating in water, an indication that the eggs were spoiled.
Further investigations by ICDS officials revealed that over half of the egg supplied from Namakkal were spoiled as complaints came from the 25 centres. “This is the first time that we are witnessing such a case,” Ms. Maragadam said.
However, none of the children in these anganwadi centres was served these eggs as the issue was discovered early on Thursday. Ms. Maragadam ordered the anganwadis to not serve eggs on Thursday as per the schedule of Noon Meal Programme. “The children were offered good eggs on Friday,” she said.
According to the Noon Meal Programme, three eggs per week will be served on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday in anganwadi centres for children between two and five years of age.
Ms. Maragadam said that the issue was reported only in the centres within the Tiruppur Corporation limits on Thursday and that no complaints arose from centres elsewhere in the district.
On Friday, officials from Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) visited anganwadi centres at Angeripalayam and Avinashi Goundan Palayam to ensure quality of eggs served to children.
B. Vijayalalithambigai, Tiruppur Designated Officer, FSSAI, along with Ms. Maragadam visited the centres and promised that the quality of the eggs supplied would be constantly checked, a release said.
