DailyMirror
“Do not play about with the lives of innocent children. All public officers are guilty of negligence of responsibility. Officers responsible for nourishing food supplied to school children should act with commitment,” Matale Magistrate and Additional District Judge Saliya Perera made these comments when be addressed the open court yesterday (2).
The District Judge severely warned the officers concerned when they were produced in court consequent to the incident of death of a primary school child following food poisoning and a further 160 children being indisposed due to the same cause in three schools in Palapathwala, Matale.
The Judge also ordered the police to take into custody the incident-related documents as they were not produced in court on that day.
The Judge further ordered the issue of notice on the Matale Regional Education Director to be present in court on the next trial date as he had failed to attend court on that day.
Officers concerned in public sectors of health, education and police, principals and staff of Buddhagosha Vidyalaya, Kawetayamuna Ananda Vidyalaya and Dombewela Rahula Vidyalaya had been summoned to court.
The magistrate also dealt with the aspects for the absence of regular implementation of the tender procedure on the supply of nourishing food, absence of the approval of the Regional Education Director, impropriety of inspections by health inspectors and the absence of quality nourishing food.
The next trial date was fixed for March 16. The poisoned mid-day meal in these three primary sections caused the death of Dhananjani Kaushalya Gamage of Buddhagosha Vidyalaya while 160 other students were indisposed.