Seventeen students at a government-aided primary school near Poonamallee in Chennai were taken to hospital after they developed vomiting, dizziness and fainting following the consumption of Pongal served under the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme, as reported in Daily Thanthi.
The incident occurred when breakfast was being served as usual at the school. During the meal, teachers reportedly noticed a lizard in the Pongal on one of the students’ plates. The distribution of the food was immediately stopped.
By then, several students who had already eaten the meal began experiencing symptoms, including vomiting and dizziness. School authorities arranged for the affected students to be taken to the nearby Poonamallee Government Hospital in 108 ambulances.
Hospital sources said the students were receiving treatment and remained in stable condition. They were being kept under observation by doctors.
The incident triggered concern among parents, with several of them rushing to the hospital after learning that their children had fallen ill.
Following the incident, officials from the Food Safety and Education departments visited the school and began an investigation. As a precautionary measure, the distribution of breakfast prepared at the concerned central kitchen to other schools was also stopped.
Food samples from the kitchen were collected and sent to a laboratory for testing. Officials are expected to determine how the lizard entered the food and whether any lapses occurred during its preparation, handling or distribution.
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