Koppal (Karnataka) [India], December 15 : A video showing worms in children's lunch at the Old Ningapura Government School in Koppal Taluk is going viral. School authorities state that rice is distributed by Akshara Dasoha and most likely stored for a long time. Parents and students expressed concerns over the health and hygiene of mid-day meals.
After children at Old Ningapura Government School found cooked worms in the hot lunch, they were alarmed and immediately reported the incident to staff and parents.
The students made haste to throw away the rice, which contained dead worms, and raised concerns to the higher-ups. They stated that it occurred due to the meal staff's negligence. Complaints and allegations from the parents soon followed. They stated that the staff responsible for checking rice quality is not performing their duties.
The rice may have been stored in a corner for an extended period before being selected for cooking. Due to the same rice being cooked without proper separation of worms, the children might have ingested the worms along with their meals.
This is a cause for concern for many, as the chairman of the school development committee, Hanumanthappa Hatti, said that the rice crop comes from Akshara Dasoha officials, who administer the mid-day meal scheme for children.
"This matter has come to our attention. I have called the cooks and advised them that the rice or crop should be washed and cooked well. If there are worms, they should be informed and replaced. However, since the Akshara Dasoha officials distribute the rice crop that has been stored in stock, the children have to eat such cooked meals," he said.
He called for a proper investigation into this whole situation and expressed anger against the authorities.
"The district administration should conduct a review of this and take appropriate action", he states.