Collector suspends midday meal officer

Guntur: Palnadu district Collector Siva Sankar Lotheti on Friday issued a memo to District Education Officer Venkatappaiah, Mandal Education Officer M Sambasiva Rao and School Headmaster J Srinivasa Rao and suspended mid-day meal officer Srinivasa Reddy for food contamination, which led to hospitalisation of 25 students of Savalyapuram ZPHS on Thursday.

Soon after having the mid-day meal at the school, the students suffered from stomach pain and vomiting. They were shifted to local government hospital. The doctors administered fluids to eight students. After recovery, they discharged the students. Sivasankar Lotheti directed the officials to appoint a new agency for mid-day meals and to send samples of essential commodities used for midday meals.

Parents rushed to Savalyapuram Primary Health Centre and expressed ire on the officials for their negligence and criticised that there is no supervision on midday meals. Savalyapuram PHC doctor Venkata Bhaskar rendered medical services to the students. District Medical and Health officer Dr Sobharani collected details of the students.