FDA says no contamination in meals supplied by SHGs
TEAM HERALD
PANJIM/PONDA: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday ruled out contamination in the mid-day meals supplied by two self-help groups (SHGs) to the St Joseph High School at Usgao-Ponda.
FDA inspectors had collected samples of the pulao and bhaji-pao served at the mid-day meals for testing, after 23 students had fallen ill after eating their meals on Friday. The samples were subjected to a microbiological analysis to check for bacterial contamination, if any, in the food supplied by the two SHGs.
“We just received the report today. It has come back negative,” FDA chief Dr Salim Veljee told Herald.
Incidentally, the FDA officers had inspected the premises of the two SHGs on July 13 – six days before the Usgao incident – while food was being prepared and no major sanitation lapses had been detected by the officers.
Addressing a meeting with SHGs in the state on Wednesday, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar also confirmed that the FDA tests had ruled out contamination in the meals.
“I want to bring it to your notice that the FDA report indicates that there is no contamination in the mid-day meal served to school children in Usgao,” he said.
With the FDA ruling out contamination in the mid-day meals supplied to the Usgao school, Ponda police is now expected to drop charges against the two SHGs, who were earlier booked for allegedly supplying contaminated mid-day meals.
When asked if they would drop charges against the two SHGs, Ponda police said they were yet to receive a copy of the FDA report.
“We first need to receive the FDA report, before we can take any action in the matter,” Ponda Police Inspector C P Patil said.
While the FDA has certified that the meals were safe for consumption, Ponda police will now need to identify those factors that had led 23 students from the Usgao school to fall ill. Police officials have admitted that they will need to probe the issue from other angles as well.
Three weeks prior to the Usgao incident, 86 students from Mallikarjun High School at Canacona had fallen ill after consuming their mid-day meals and had to be rushed to the community health centre. The FDA, however, had confirmed that the meals had been contaminated with E. Colli.
