LUCKNOW: The police on Monday lodged an FIR against the firm supplying food at the Rajkiya Ashram Paddati Balika Inter College at Para after over a dozen girl students fell ill and had to be admitted at Lok Bandhu hospital on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday.
According to students, the firm had been serving stale food for the last one month and even after repeated complaints no action was taken. On Friday, the students refused to have dinner. On Saturday, as soon as they had meals, a number of them complained of nausea and were rushed to hospital. Upset with no action being taken to improve the food quality, girl students staged a protest by blocking the road late at night at Mohan road.
“At times the same food is served to us which was cooked the day before. More often students were falling ill with complaints of diarrhea and food poisoning. Not just the quantity is less and the same menu is served everyday but stale food is being served,” said a class XI student Aditi (name changed).
Another girl student Anamika said, “When no action was taken despite several incidents of students falling ill, we took to the road to raise our voice.”
Meanwhile, the district administration took cognizance of the incident and an FIR was lodged by the social welfare department (under which the school comes) on the direction of DM Abhishek Prakash.
District youth welfare Officer, Lucknow has been directed to investigate the case.
Sub-divisional magistrate, Sadar, Pramod Pandey said, “The officials of the social work department have decided to form a committee of students for checking food quality. Meals will be served to students only after it is checked by students and teachers who have been given food inspection responsibility.”
Deputy Director Social Welfare Srinivas Dwivedi said, “An FIR has been lodged on behalf of the headmistress against the catering firm. Services of the firm have been terminated with immediate effect.”
