When MK Stalin became Chief Minister in 2021, Tamil Nadu was told it was witnessing something historic. The Dravidian Model – a governance philosophy they claim to be built on social justice, welfare, and dignity for the underprivileged.

But in the same Tamil Nadu, in the same five years, hundreds of children eating their government-provided noon meal ended up in hospital. Lizards in the rice. Rotten eggs. Contaminated sambar. 29 incidents across the state. This is the unbranded side of the Dravidian Model – the part that doesn’t make it onto the hoardings.

Despite repeated occurrences, little seems to have been done to prevent these avoidable mishaps. Let us take a look at some of these reported instances.

Let us start with the year 2021.

#1 September 2021: 17 children were hospitalised in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district after reportedly falling ill following a meal at an anganwadi centre. The incident occurred in Poodhangati village, where children who consumed the mid-day meal began vomiting and some fainted. They were immediately taken to Cuddalore Government Hospital for treatment. Parents alleged that a dead lizard was found in the food, which may have caused the illness. Two children required intravenous fluids, while the others were said to be stable. Food safety officials have launched an inquiry into the incident.

#2 December 2021: School authorities at a Panchayat Union Primary School near Thogamalai discovered that eggs delivered for the midday meal were rotten (infested with worms). The incident was reported before the eggs were served, so no children fell ill. Nonetheless, the discovery of spoiled eggs triggered an inquiry by education and health officials.

Instances from 2022

#3 February 2022: On 25 February 2022, 25 students from the Athiya Nallur Panchayat Union Primary School in Puduchattaram, near Chidambaram, were admitted to the Chidambaram government hospital after fainting on the school. It was reported that the students were given rotten eggs.

#4 March 2022: Several students fainted after consuming the government mid-day meal at the Government High School in Sulakarai near Kallavi, located in the Uthangarai Assembly constituency of Krishnagiri district, Tamil Nadu. The incident occurred on 15 March 2022 after lunch was served under the state’s noon meal scheme to students from Classes VI to X. Shortly after eating, some students suddenly collapsed. School authorities immediately rushed the affected children to the Government Hospital in Kallavi, where they were admitted for treatment. Police and school officials began an investigation into the incident.

#5 April 2022: On 22 April 2022, 39 government school students who ate midday meal food provided by Kandiyur Govt Middle School near Valangaiman, Tiruvarur District, were admitted to Tiruvarur government hospital with complaints of vomiting, diarrhea, and fainting.

#6 May 2022: In Pudukottai District, three children suffered from vomiting and diarrhea at the Thondaiman Nagar Anganwadi. Food served to 50 children was later found to contain beetles and worms. All children were treated at Pudukottai Government Hospital.

#7 June 2022: On 24 June 2022, students at a government school near Ulundurpet in the Kallakurichi district experienced vomiting and fainting after consuming midday meal scheme food provided by the school. Over 30 students were admitted to the hospital.

#8 June 2022: On 25 June 2022, seven students at Karimangalatanur School vomited and fainted after eating the Midday Meal food. They were then treated in hospitals. Under the Barkur Union, 49 students attend Kuttur Panchayat Union Primary School, and 22 attend Karimangalatanur Panchayat Union Primary School.

#9 July 2022: On 21 July 2022, 27 students vomited and fainted after eating food served at a government school in Nagercoil. The incident happened in the Kavimani Desiya Vinayagam Pillai Girls Higher Secondary School located in Kotaru area of Nagercoil, Kanyakumari district, where more than 1300 schoolgirls are studying.

#10 July 2022: Around 60 girl students from Kasthuriba Gandhi Kaniya Gurukulam Girls Higher Secondary School in Vedaranyam, Nagapattinam district, Tamil Nadu, were hospitalised following a suspected food poisoning incident. The students reportedly fell ill after eating wheat upma and coconut chutney served for breakfast in the school hostel. Some students claimed they saw what looked like a lizard’s tail in the food, causing panic among others. Several students experienced nausea, dizziness, and vomiting, and were rushed to the Vedaranyam Government General Hospital. Doctors kept many under observation before discharging them after their condition stabilised.

#11 September 2022: In Tiruvannamalai district’s, Mothakal village, 47 students were hospitalized after eating contaminated midday meals that reportedly contained dead lizards.

#12 September 2022: On 10 September 2022, around 115 students at the government girls’ high school at Gandhi Nagar in Attur started vomiting and fainted allegedly after taking deworming tablets given by the health department.

#13 October 2022: In Tiruvannamalai district, at a school near Keezhpennathur, 15 students were hospitalized after a lizard’s head was reportedly found in the food consumed by a class 10 student. Over 150 students were enrolled in the school at the time.

Instances from 2023

#14 February 2023: In another concerning incident, several students fell ill after consuming eggs at Paramakudi Government Primary School in Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu. On 3 February 2023, twelve children, eight boys and four girls, reported stomach pain, vomiting, and fainting after eating their lunch, which included eggs. They were quickly taken to Paramakudi Government Hospital, where doctors stated the illness was likely caused by undercooked eggs. Police questioned students and school staff as part of the inquiry.

#15 June 2023: More than 20 students fell ill after consuming the noon meal at a government school near Rasipuram in Namakkal district, Tamil Nadu, on 22 June 2023. Soon after eating the meal served under the state’s saththunavu (mid-day meal) scheme, several students complained of vomiting and dizziness. They were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The incident triggered anger among parents, who later gathered at the school and protested, alleging that they had not been informed immediately about their children’s condition. Authorities treated the case as a suspected food-related illness, though the exact cause or contaminant responsible was not officially confirmed.

#16 July 2023: Sixty-nine students from Panchayat Union High School in Thandarai village, Tiruvannamalai district, fell ill on 15 July 2023 after consuming lunch prepared at the school during celebrations marking the 120th birth anniversary of former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj. According to reports, some students claimed to have spotted what appeared to be a lizard in the food, raising concerns about contamination. Soon after eating, several students experienced vomiting and dizziness and were taken to the Government Medical College Hospital in Tiruvannamalai. Doctors later discharged 67 students after observation, while two students remained under monitoring due to continued symptoms. Authorities said an incident report would be filed.

Instances from 2024.

#17 February 2024: As many as 102 students fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal at a government high school in Sakkangudi village near Chidambaram in Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu. The incident occurred around 12:30 pm when students began experiencing vomiting and dizziness while eating lunch. A Class 10 student reportedly noticed a lizard-like reptile in the food, which caused panic among others who had already eaten. School authorities alerted emergency services, and multiple 108 ambulances rushed students to hospitals in Chidambaram, Bhuvanagiri and the Cuddalore Government Medical College Hospital.

Instances from 2025

#18 March 2025: Thirty-nine students from a Panchayat Union Middle School in Thennavarayanallur village near Tiruvarur, Tamil Nadu, fell ill after consuming the school’s mid-day meal on campus. A total of 64 students had eaten the meal along with chickpeas. Later, three students began vomiting after returning home and were admitted to the Tiruvarur Government Hospital. Soon after, 36 more students developed symptoms including vomiting and dizziness and were also hospitalised for treatment. District Collector Mohanachandran visited the hospital and reviewed the situation. Doctors suspected the illness could be linked to contaminated noon-meal food, and authorities directed that all affected students receive medical care.

#19 April 2025: Fifteen students at a government school in Tiruchirappalli district, Tamil Nadu, fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal served at the school. The students complained of vomiting and stomach pain, prompting authorities to call a medical team to examine them. Doctors administered glucose and medicines and suspected possible food poisoning, though the exact cause will be determined after testing the food and water samples. The students were initially taken to the Avi Kalipatti Primary Health Centre, while five students were shifted by ambulance to the Illuppur Government Hospital for treatment. All students were later discharged.

#20 June 2025: Over 50 students at Anaivari Panchayat Union Primary School reportedly fell ill after consuming breakfast suspected to have contained a lizard in Villupuram district. Several students fainted and vomited shortly after eating and were rushed to Kalpattu Government Primary Health Centre. Two temporary kitchen staff were dismissed, and the School Education Department launched an investigation.

#21 July 2025: In a government-run hostel linked to the Government Girls’ Higher Secondary School in the Courtallam area, nine female students fell ill after breakfast and were admitted to Tenkasi Government Hospital. The hostel is reportedly managed by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department.

#22 August 2025: Twenty students from Kattinayakkanthoti Government High School near Perigai in Hosur, Krishnagiri district, Tamil Nadu, were hospitalised after falling ill following the mid-day meal served at the school. The incident occurred when students reportedly noticed a lizard and its droppings in the food. Soon after eating, several students began experiencing vomiting, dizziness, stomach pain and fainting. Teachers immediately discarded the remaining food and rushed the affected children to the Perigai Government Hospital. Later, the students were shifted to the Hosur Government Hospital for further treatment. Police in Perigai have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident.

#23 August 2025: Eight students were hospitalized after a lizard was allegedly discovered in their breakfast of rava khichdi provided under the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme at Punairuppu Government Primary School in Thiruvarur district.

#24 September 2025: At a Panchayat Union Middle School in Adhivaraganatham, Cuddalore district, a lizard was found in breakfast served under the government’s meal scheme. Eighteen students had already eaten before detection. Though no health issues were reported, they were treated and sent to Chidambaram Government Hospital for observation. Parents staged protests.

#25 September 2025: Thirty-seven students from a Government Middle School in Jambai near Kallakurichi, Tamil Nadu, fell ill on 8 September 2025 after eating the mid-day meal served at the school. The food, prepared for 89 students, was reportedly contaminated after a lizard was found in the meal. Soon after lunch, several children complained of nausea and vomiting. School staff immediately arranged medical assistance and rushed the affected students to the Manalurpettai Primary Health Centre, from where they were later shifted to the Tiruvannamalai Government Hospital for further observation. Doctors monitored the children for complications and later confirmed that all students were stable and discharged. Authorities launched an inquiry into the incident.

#26 September 2025: A food safety scare occurred at a Panchayat Union Middle School in Adhivaraganatham near Bhuvanagiri in Cuddalore district after a student reportedly found a lizard in the breakfast served under the government’s morning meal scheme. About 18 students had already eaten the food before the contamination was noticed. Although none of the children immediately reported health problems, medical staff from Bhuvanagiri Government Hospital were called to the school and provided initial treatment. Concerned parents rushed to the campus, causing tension with school staff. As a precaution, the 18 students were later taken by ambulance to Chidambaram Government Hospital for observation, where they remained stable.

#27 October 2025: Eighteen students from a Government Middle School in Kansalpaile village near Palacode in Dharmapuri district, Tamil Nadu, were hospitalised after falling ill following the mid-day meal served at the school. The students, studying from Classes I to VIII, had eaten lunch at school and returned home later in the day. Around 9 pm, ten boys and eight girls began experiencing vomiting and dizziness, prompting their parents to rush them to the Palacode Government Hospital. Three students were later referred to the Dharmapuri Government Hospital for further treatment. Local police from Marandahalli have begun an inquiry and are questioning the noon-meal staff and teachers.

#28 December 2025: Ten students from a government elementary school in Kannakkanpatti were hospitalised after complaining of stomach pain shortly after eating their midday meal. The school, which serves classes from Standards 1 to 5, had provided sambar rice and boiled eggs for lunch. Around 3.45 p.m., the headmistress alerted authorities when several children began reporting abdominal discomfort. As a precautionary measure, all ten students were taken to the Pudukottai Government Medical College Hospital for treatment. Doctors said the children reported that the pain started soon after eating, raising suspicion of possible food contamination or food poisoning.

Instances from 2026

#29 January 2026: Around 24 students from Panchayat Union Middle School in Odakalpalayam village, Sulthanpet block of Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal served at the school. The students complained of vomiting sensations and stomach pain after returning home in the evening and were taken to nearby private hospitals. Nineteen students were discharged after first aid, while five remained under treatment. Officials from the School Education Department and food safety authorities visited the hospitals and began an inquiry. Food and water samples were collected for testing. Preliminary reports suggested the rice may have been undercooked, which could have caused the illness.

#30 March 2026: Thirty-three students at a Government Model School hostel in M. Naruthiyur near Thittakudi, Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, fell ill after consuming food served at the hostel. The incident occurred on Saturday when several students complained of diarrhoea, vomiting and fainting after eating their meals. Initially, nine students who developed symptoms after lunch were taken to the Mangalur Government Hospital for treatment and later discharged. Health authorities subsequently organised a medical camp at the hostel to examine other students. Officials said the illness may be linked to the hostel food, which reportedly included drumstick spinach for lunch and chicken curry in the evening, and investigations are underway.

#31 March 2026: On 10 March 2026, 44 students from a Coimbatore Corporation Middle School in Kavundampalayam, Tamil Nadu, fell ill after eating the mid-day meal served at the school. Shortly after lunch, many students—mostly Class IV children—began vomiting and some reportedly fainted. Officials said the affected group included 30 boys and 14 girls. It was alleged that a lizard had fallen into the food, leading to suspected food poisoning. Forty-three students were rushed to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, while one child was taken home by parents. Doctors treated the students and later discharged all of them. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

The Verdict Voters Must Deliver

Tamil Nadu’s noon meal scheme was once a symbol of the state’s welfare success. But repeated incidents of contaminated food, hospitalised children and administrative lapses have begun to erode that legacy.

When such incidents occur once, they may be accidents. When they happen year after year across districts, they point to systemic negligence.

A government that proudly claims a “Dravidian Model” cannot ignore the safety of the very children its welfare schemes are meant to protect.

Ultimately, voters must decide whether this record deserves another term in power.

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