District administrative and education officers who inspected Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) in schools revealed that some school principals do not follow Government guidelines in preparation of food for the students.
In some schools, food is being prepared under MDMS in unhygienic conditions. In many schools, students are being served low quality rice under this scheme which is operational in around 17, 000 Government schools in the State. Taking a lesson from the Bihar incident in which 23 children died after eating poisoned mid-day meal, the district magistrate of different districts deployed their officers for inspecting MDMS in schools.
The inspection report of these officers revealed that in some schools, food is being prepared in unhygienic conditions; poor quality rice is being provided through public distribution system dealer by the district food and civil supply officer concerned. lack of drinking water facility was also found in schools. In Government Primary and Junior school Ramgarh, Raipur block, Dehradun, food was being prepared for students using water from a nearby river as drinking water facility was not available. In absence of kitchen, food was being prepared in unhygienic condition at the school verandah.
In Government primary school, Panditwadi, local residents were throwing their garbage in the school campus which resulted in unhygienic atmosphere. Following the direction of Dehradun DM BVRC Purushottam, Dehradun sub divisional magistrate Ramji Sharan conducted surprise inspection in Government Girls Inter College, lakkhibagh and found poor quality rice there. In GGIC, Kargi, Principal faced problems in preparation of food as kitchen was not constructed there. The quality of rice was below standard in the school. In GGIC Patelnagar, quality of rice was below standards and food was prepared in unhygienic conditions.
In Haridwar district, the district officers inspected Methodist Government inter college, Roorkee and they found insects in stored rice. Apart from this, there are many government schools in mountainous parts which have lost road links due to recent disaster which is preventing supply of food grains by the district food and civil supply officer concerned. Shortage of food grain in schools of Mussoorie was also reported due to lack of transportation. Uttarakhand Education Minister Mantri Prasad Naithani said that held a meeting with director general education and additional secretary PS Jangpangi and other education officers. The education officers were directed to take steps ensuring schools follow government guidelines while preparing food for students. The district education officers have been directed to ensure that schools receive standard quality of rice from the department of food and civil supply.