The Delhi Government has paid Rs.2.05 lakh as relief to 41 girl students who suffered food poisoning after consuming mid-day meal at the Sarvodaya Girls’ School in Uttam Nagar here in September 2011. The relief was paid after the National Human Rights Commission took cognisance of the case and recommended payment of Rs.5,000 each to the victims after finding negligence on the part of the public servants concerned.
Though 44 girls were affected in the incident, the State Government has paid monetary relief to 41 of them, as three of the victims could not be located since they had left the school.
In the inquiry report received in response to the Commission’s notices, it was confirmed that a lizard was found in the mid-day meal provided by a company, Indcare Trust, on September 3, 2011. A criminal case was also registered at Uttam Nagar police station in this connection.
The Directorate of Education had issued general instructions regarding mid-day meals on January 23, 2012, mentioning that the authorities concerned were not taking interest in the implementation of mid-day meal scheme in their districts, zones and schools.
The Commission observed that in view of this, it was clear that the authorities and public servants concerned had neither taken due precaution nor conducted necessary checks on the food which was supplied to the students at the school.
