Bihar midday meal incident: HC asks whether NGO can continue providing meals

The Patna High Court has flagged the May 7 Baluaha midday meal incident, in which over 150 students of a government school in Saharsa district fell sick and were hospitalised after allegedly spotting a dead snake in their meal, asking whether the NGO that supplies meals to over 150 schools in the district should be allowed to continue to provide meals during the investigation.

Following the incident, an FIR was registered against school headmistress Anupma Kumari Jha, teacher Aftab Alam and all nine cooks at the school.

While hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea regarding the incident on May 19, a Division Bench of the Patna High Court expressed concern over delays in the inquiry and asked the PM Poshan Directorate to examine whether the NGO supplying midday meals to school students should be allowed to continue operations during the investigation.

The NGO supplies midday meals in Mahishi and Nauhatta blocks to over 1,800 students of 154 government schools, said project coordinator Mohd. Ejaz. The Bench, comprising Justices Rajeev Ranjan Prasad and Mohit Kumar Shah, also raised questions over alleged discrepancies in the collection and testing of the food samples in the case.

The court directed the Saharsa Superintendent of Police, the Food Safety Officer and PM Poshan officials to file affidavits explaining the seizure, sampling and laboratory examination processes.

It will hear the matter again on June 2.