More than 100 Avadi sanitation workers rushed to hospital after dead lizard found in sambar | Chennai News

Avadi corporation commissioner R Saranya said only six workers were admitted as inpatients and that most of those brought to the hospital were affected by panic after seeing the dead lizard.

CHENNAI: More than 100 sanitation workers employed by Balaji Global, a private contractor engaged by the Avadi Corporation for sanitation services, were rushed to the Avadi Government Hospital on Wednesday after a dead lizard was found in the sambar served with their breakfast at a distribution centre in Paruthipattu Eco Park. By the time the contamination was noticed, many workers had already eaten the meal, triggering panic and complaints of nausea, vomiting and dizziness.They are among nearly 817 sanitation workers who receive breakfast every day under the corporation’s breakfast scheme. The meals are prepared by a separate private catering contractor and distributed through 21 serving units in the corporation limits.According to officials, the food was prepared at a private kitchen near Chinnamman Temple in Avadi around 7am before being transported to the zonal distribution centres. The incident occurred at the Paruthipattu Eco Park serving unit in Zone 3, where breakfast was served to more than 100 workers.Several workers said that complaints about food quality had been ignored for months. “This is not the first time. Earlier, worms were found in the food served to us. Today, there was a lizard in the sambar. There has been continuous negligence in the quality of the food provided to us,” said R Meghala (name changed), a sanitation worker employed by Balaji Global.

Avadi corporation commissioner R Saranya said food samples had been collected from all 21 distribution units by corporation officials and the food safety department for laboratory testing. “The samples will help determine whether the contamination occurred during cooking or while the food was being served. Appropriate action will be taken against the catering contractor after the test results are received,” she said.She said that only six workers were admitted as in-patients and that most of those brought to the hospital were affected by panic after seeing the dead lizard. “Only one worker complained of nausea. The others were admitted mainly for observation. We have instructed officials to continuously monitor the health of all sanitation workers,” she said.