India traces insecticides in samples from contaminated free mid-day meals

The Indian authorities have admitted tracing high levels of agricultural insecticides in samples taken from contaminated free mid-day meals . It has claimed the lives of 27 students, all aged below 12, at a school in the eastern state of Bihar last week, even as the school principal and her husband still remained absconding. "It was the high quantity of monocrotophos insecticide in the food which proved fatal for the school children. Efforts are on to track down the school principal and her husband who supplied the groceries which led to the deaths of 27 students at the state-run Dharmasati Gandaman school in Bihar's Saran district Tuesday," he said, on condition of anonymity. Some 100 students had the free mid-day meal of rice, pulses and soya beans last week at the school, out of which more than 50 fell sick. "The children started vomiting and complained of stomach cramps moments after eating the meal. While 27 died, other sick students have been still undergoing treatment at various hospitals but most are said to be out of danger," he added. The free mid-day meals in India are said to be the largest such scheme in the world. It aims at combating hunger and boosting school attendance. The scheme caters to 120 million children in 1. 2 million government schools across the country.