Lizard in breakfast scheme food: Tiruvallur Collector removes two cooks
A lizard was found in rava kichadi served under the Chief Minister's Breakfast Scheme at a Tiruvallur school, prompting the removal of two cooks and a hospital check-up for students.
Two cooks attached to the Chief Minister's Breakfast Scheme at Kottaiyur Middle School in Kadambathur block were relieved of duty on Thursday after a lizard was found in the food prepared for students.
Tiruvallur Collector S. Kavitha ordered the removal of the cooks, Arthi and Dhanalakshmi, and directed that action be initiated against the school headmaster, a teacher and the block development officer in charge of the scheme.
The contamination came to light while the cooks were transferring rava kichadi from a larger vessel into smaller utensils. By that point, 40 of the 54 children had already eaten a portion of the meal.
School authorities immediately made the affected students drink salt water to induce vomiting, and the children were then taken to Tiruvallur Medical College Hospital for examination. Most were checked and sent home, while one girl was admitted with diarrhoea.
The Collector visited both the school and the hospital. She said the incident occurred because the utensils holding the food had not been covered properly.