leaders and members of the Ganjam District Joint Action Committee consisting of several trade union leaders and social organisations took out a march and staged demonstration in front of the office of the RDC here on Saturday demanding immediate cancellation of the licence of Nandi Foundation for its alleged mismanagement of the midday meal (MDM) programme in schools in the district.
In spite of repeated occurrence of insects like snakes, lizards and cockroaches in the mid-day meals, the State Government is protecting the Nandi Foundation, the supplier of the meals at the risk of lives of schoolchildren, the leaders alleged.
Instead of the Nandi Foundation, the Government is taking actions against teachers and cooks at the behest of the supplier, they said.
The leaders also demanded taking back those BRCC and CRCC employees to their original posts after completion of five years of their service and immediate recruitment of new teachers in their place as has been approved twice by Zilla Parishad. In addition to midday meal management, the teachers are also engaged in construction works of school buildings, they pointed out.
The leaders also alleged that engineers are demanding protection money from teachers on the pretext of issuance of clearance relating to school construction works.
A memorandum addressed to the Governor was submitted urging disengagement of the Nandi Foundation from the midday meal programme and entrustment of the job to any credible NGO or any other reputed private management.
Among others, convener of Brahmapur Nagarik Manch Prof Govind Das, teacher leader Rajendra Kumar Panda, Jagan Mohan Sahu, president of Retired Elementary Teachers’ Association, Ganjam Shyam Sundar Khadanga, president of Odisha Telugu Sammukhya Dr AR Verma, advisor of Ganjam Zilla Vikas Manch Siba Prasad Mishra and convener of Manav Adhikar Suraksha Manch Abani Gaya led the agitation.