INDEPENDANCE CELEBRATIONS DAY SUPPLYING OF STALE FOOD ISSUE

About 3000 students from several far away schools who attended the ‘Dance’ items supplied with stale and rotten food not edible for consumption.
Students,  both boys and girls who attended the “DANCE’ items numbering about 3000  were all from far away schools who had travelled from places like Matara, Bandaragama, kegalle,Akkaraipattu,Mannar Vavuniya and Embilipitya. The distance from these places to Anuradhapura where the Independence Day celebrations were held was very far and they had to perform the ‘dances’ amidst a lot constraints as tiredness in travelling and with regard to refreshments and lunch.
It is reliably learnt that they had been served rice for lunch with half cooked fish which had made dome of them to remain starving as it was not an edible preparation, and was stale. The students complained that it was a lunch not suitable for consumption. Because of this many students had evaded taking the lunch that was offered and remained in hunger. Those who had eaten had been soon subjected to stomach ailments.
It is reported that the supplying of lunch had been entrusted to the Anuradhapura Nuwaragama area Divisional Secretary. When queries began to flow he placed the blame on the Accountant of the Divisional Secretarial office as he had entrusted the supplying of food as he was having so many other duties entrusted to shoulder with regard to the Independence Day celebrations.
The accountant in turn had given this responsibility of supplying to a party without gauging his competency with regard to cooking experience for such a vast event and now he is contemplating taking action against him. This third party who supplied the lunch has failed to contact the Health Authorities of the Divisional Secretary’s office to obtain a clearance in regard to his competency in supplying food.
The contract to supply such a large quantity of lunch had been taken without knowing of any obstacles and any consequences that would have to be faced in the event of an eventuality like what happened after suppling inedible and stale food to thousands of students. It is now learnt that in order to prosecute the supplier, a sample investigation of the lunch supplied is conducted.