Odisha School Meal Incident: 98 Students Fall Ill After Lizard Discovery

Balasore, Odisha - December 13, 2025 – A distressing incident at a school in Odisha's Balasore district has led to the hospitalization of 98 students after a lizard was found in their midday meal. The incident occurred at Udayanarayan Nodal School, situated in the Sirapur village.

Students were served rice and curry as part of the midday meal program. Shortly after the meal was served, a student discovered a dead lizard in the food. School authorities immediately halted the distribution of the meal and instructed the students to not consume it.

Despite the prompt action, many students had already eaten the contaminated food. Soon after, students began experiencing symptoms such as stomach aches, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The affected students were immediately rushed to the nearest Community Health Centre and Soro Hospital in ambulances and other available vehicles for medical attention.

A medical team was dispatched to the school to provide treatment to the students. After receiving initial medical care, several students vomited and were then transferred to the Community Health Centre for further treatment and observation.

Local authorities have responded swiftly to the incident. Madhab Dhada, a local Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), along with members of the school management committee, visited the Community Health Centre to assess the condition of the hospitalized students. Dhada stated that the students fell ill after consuming contaminated rice served in the midday meal.

Doctors at the Community Health Centre confirmed that the affected students are receiving appropriate medical care. A health team from the district headquarters has collected samples of the rice for testing to determine the exact cause of the illness.

An education officer has reported that a thorough investigation will be conducted, and legal action will be taken against anyone found responsible for the incident. The Block Education Officer also stated that legal consequences would be faced by those found guilty after the investigation.

This is not an isolated incident. In March of 2024, 11 students in the Bhadrak district fell ill after a lizard was discovered in their midday meal. Similarly, in August of 2024, approximately 100 students from the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Ashram School experienced stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea after consuming a school meal. 61 of those students were hospitalized at Deoria Medical College. In December 2018, 22 students from a school in Balasore fell ill after a lizard was found in their food.

These recurring incidents raise serious concerns about the quality and safety of the midday meal program in Odisha. The government mandates that staff members involved in preparing the midday meals taste the food before it is served to the children. However, guardians and concerned individuals allege that this guideline is hardly followed. Further investigation is underway.