Schoolchildren pay tribute to midday meal victims in Patna on Wednesday. (PTI)

The death of over 20 children after consuming midday meal (MDM) in a rural Bihar school hints at criminal negligence, much beyond ignorance of safety guidelines, experts feel.

The Union human resource development (HRD) ministry has described the incident an “aberration” but experts say the tragedy might have been backed by criminal intent. The tragedy comes at a time when the ministry has set up an expert committee to suggest improvements.

“There have been instances of bacterial infections after consumption of midday meal. But this is the first incident where it seems some heavy dose of poison was mixed,” said T Sundararaman, a member of the expert panel and executive director of National Health Systems Resource Centre, New Delhi. “Either criminal intent or gross criminal negligence is behind this,” he said.

Junior HRD Minister Jitin Prasada said: “It appears that guidelines were not followed. The state governments are responsible for implementation.”

MDM is one of the most popular schemes of the government. Nearly 12 crore children in 13 lakh elementary schools get hot cooked meals everyday the schools are open.

The office of the Supreme Court Commissioners reviewed eight social sector schemes including MDM in nine states and said the programme had increased students’ school attendance.

National Advisory Council member N.C. Saxena attributed the tragedy to poor implementation. As per MDM guidelines, the food has to be tested by two adults and a schoolteacher before being served. Burnt oil, bad quality grain should not be used. Safety and hygiene have to be ensured in storage of grains. “As the schools do not have adequate regular teachers, the management of MDM is looked after by para (temporary) teachers and cooks. Supervision and monitoring is almost absent,” Saxena said.

He said the situation is very bad in Bihar. Schools fail to procure grains from Food Corporation of India regularly. Bad quality grains are used for meals. He termed the mishap as “criminal oversight”.

Saxena said that parents of children should be involved in monitoring food quality daily.

HRD minister M M Pallam Raju said the Bihar tragedy was an “aberration”. “A senior official from ministry has gone to Bihar to study the matter. We will take all possible steps to avoid such mishaps in future,” he said.

An FIR has been lodged against the school principal. The ministry has asked for a report from the state government on this matter.

In Chhapra, additional secretary in the HRD ministry, Amarjit Singh blamed the system and said the school principal Mina Kumari and her husband would be arrested. An FIR had been lodged against them. He would go the school on Thursday to take stock before more action follows. He held a meeting with commissioner, DM and SP at the circuit house and chalked out future course of action.

MDM director R Lakshmanan said 22 casualties had been reported and 26 others were being treated at PMCH. The condition of two students remains serious. They have been put under observation, he said. He said pesticide was found in the meal and samples have been sent to the forensic lab. The report will be available tomorrow. Viscera samples too have been sent for tests, he said.

He said the cook had come to her senses and said she had complained to the school principal of some sediments in the oil, but the headmistress asked her to go ahead and cook. He called it great negligence on the part of the principal and she had been suspended.