Berhampur, Aug. 2: A lizard follows an earthworm on platter for students in Naveen Patnaik’s constituency.

The boiled lizard was found in the midday meal at Regadi Primary School in Hinjli, the chief minister’s Assembly constituency, today.

About a week ago, an earthworm was found in dalma in the same school.

Hyderabad-based Nandi Foundation prepares meal for the students of the school.

School headmistress Shantilata Sabat said that the foundation delivered the meal at 11am.

“We unload the cooked meal from the Nandi Foundation’s containers and put it inour containers everyday. We found the lizard in the rice while unloading food. We immediately informed the sub-inspector of schools, school management committee president Panchanan Prusty and block development officer of Hinjili Subhransu Mishra. The meal was not distributed among the students,” the headmistress said.

“On July 26, we sent back the meal to the Nandi Foundation and gave biscuits to all 115 students instead. But today, we did not return the items and kept the rice with the lizard as evidence of what the foundation serves us,” said Sabat.

The manager of the foundation in Berhampur, Makhan Malviya, however, ruled out any scope of a lizard being present in the meal.

“Our rice, dal and other items are prepared under the strict vigil of at least five persons. The containers are washed regularly and used with utmost care. I assure you that there is no chance of any lizard or worm entering the food. I am surprised at the allegations,” he said.