A lizard was found in the breakfast served to students at a girls’ hostel attached to a government school in Medak district, Telangana. The Union government took serious note of the incident after media reports surfaced, stating that breakfast in this hostel is provided by the Telangana government, not under the Centre’s PM POSHAN scheme. The Ministry of Education clarified this and mentioned on X that the state government has taken strict action against the officials involved.
The PM POSHAN Scheme ensures hot cooked midday meals in schools, and the Ministry advised all states and Union territories to maintain safety standards and serve properly cooked food to students.
In a report to higher officials, including the District Collector, the District Educational Officer (DEO) stated that a student found the lizard in the upma, leading the caretaker to halt the meal service. Seventeen students who had eaten the dish were taken to the health center in Ramayampet mandal. Two students with stomach pain were moved to the District Headquarters Hospital in Medak, while the other 15 were discharged. Later, 70 more students were checked, and all were monitored for six hours, but no symptoms of food poisoning were found.
The DEO reported that aside from the two students with stomach pain, all 15 others were discharged. The two students with pain were transferred to the District Headquarters Hospital in Medak.
A cook and an assistant cook were fired for negligence, and show-cause notices were issued to the caretaker and the Special Officer of the Model School Girls’ Hostel, according to the DEO.