Worms found in nutrition bars given to students in two Palghar schools

Nutritional meals to zilla parishad schools are provided by Indo Allied Protein Foods Private Limited

Serious concerns have been raised against the midday nutritional meal served at zilla parishad schools in the Palghar district after the students in two of the schools - Anand Lakshman Chandawar Vidyalaya Khanivli and Z P School Chinchani No. 3 - were found consuming Millets Nutrition Bars contaminated with mold and live worms.

The incident has sparked widespread outrage among parents and the community, as it puts the health of 2.75 lakh students studying at zilla parishad schools in Palghar district at risk. The midday nutritional meals to the district's zilla parishad schools are provided by Indo Allied Protein Foods Private Limited.

The latest findings have raised serious concerns about the quality and safety of the food being supplied. Despite previous complaints about substandard meals, the administration appears to have neglected the issue, prompting fury and anxiety among parents regarding their children's well-being. The incident has shed light on the poor functioning of zilla parishad schools and the failure of the authorities to ensure safe, nutritious meals for students.

The company responsible for supplying the mealsis now under intense scrutiny, according to Palghar zilla parishad officials. "We are investigating the matter and will soon take action against the issue. We are not taking this lightly, and we are very concerned about the safety and welfare of the students," said an official from the state school education department. When contacted, authorities from school in Chinchani refused to comment, stating that the zilla parishad had been informed about the issue. Whereas, an official from the school in Khanivli blamed the administration for not taking the midday meal scheme seriously.

"This is not the first time that an issue with the quality of midday meals has been reported in Palghar or in schools across the state. Such cases have come to light before, yet no stringent action or quality checks are done at the administrative level. When these cases arise, schools are blamed," the official told mid-day. "Not one but multiple packets of the millet bars were seen to be contaminated, had molds, and then some students noticed live molds too. We have reported the matter to the zilla parishad," added the official.

Indo Allied Protein Foods Private Limited could not be reached for comment till the time going to the press. With the investigation ongoing, the district administration is under mounting pressure to ensure that incidents like this do not happen again.

Past cases

>> As many as 250 students from 20 ashram schools (residential facilities for tribal pupils) in Palghar and Dahanu fell sick due to food poisoning after consuming khichdi as part of their midday meal. The incident took place on August 6 and August 7, 2024.

>> On February 26, 2016, 247 children were admitted to different hospitals with symptoms of food poisoning. The children reportedly fell sick after consuming a midday meal at a zilla parishad school in Palghar's Kasa Budruk village.