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Mohali: Minister orders probe as 48 kids fall ill after consuming porridge at sports centre mess
Sports special chief secretary has been ordered to probe the incident, which came to fore after children began vomiting after consuming porridge at the centre’s mess around 8.30 am on Saturday
Punjab sports minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer ordered an inquiry after children fell ill on consuming breakfast at the Punjab Institute of Sports’ (PIS) Sector-63 centre. Hayer has sought an action report within three days.
Sports special chief secretary has been ordered to probe the incident, which came to fore after children began vomiting after consuming porridge at the centre’s mess around 8.30 am on Saturday. Hostel warden Ranbir Singh shut down the mess and 48 children, who fell sick, were rushed to the Phase 6 civil hospital. All but five children were discharged after first aid. The others are under observation.
The mess contractor has been running operations for the past nine months. The hostel warden said he had received a complaint from the children about the porridge containing a dead lizard.
A team from the food safety department visited the stadium to take samples, but the porridge had already been disposed of and replaced with a fresh batch.
The inspection team found that food at the mess was being prepared in unhygienic conditions, and found insects and dead rats at certain places. The team took samples of other food prepared at the mess for testing.
Deputy mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi, meanwhile, sought action against the hostel warden accusing him of trying to cover things up by disposing of the porridge.
“We are waiting for the report from the district sports officer and will take action after. Until then, the mess has been shut down,” deputy commissioner Aashika Jain said.
