In Government Inter College, Nanoorkheda, when a teacher was asked by principal to taste the food prepared under mid day meal scheme, he replied, “I am assigned to taste the food on the next day so those assigned should be asked to taste the food”.
This indicates that school teachers are avoiding tasting mid-day meal following the tragic incident in Bihar where 23 children died after consuming poisoned midday meal. It may be mentioned here that all the school principals have been directed to depute one teacher daily for tasting the food of MDMS before giving it to the students.
The students will be given food half an hour after it is checked by the faculty. Dehradun district education officer (basic) Pravendra Kumar Saklani said that he recently inspected MDMS execution in several schools and observed that some teachers had expressed their fear about tasting mid-day meal after the Bihar incident.
Following this, he has strictly directed the teachers to taste food of MDMS before providing it to the students.
All the school principals have been directed to monitor MDMS on daily basis and also appoint two teachers who would taste food prepared in the school.
Apart from this, they have been directed to ensure that students wash their hands with soap before and after eating food in the school.
It may be mentioned here that after Bihar tragedy, State education secretary Manisha Panwar along with State
project MDMSin-charge Pravendra Kumar Bisht had recently conducted surprise inspection of MDMS in the schools of Dehradun and necessary instructions
were given to the principal concerned.
Panwar directed the education officers including district education officer, block education officer, block resource coordinator and cluster resource coordinators to conduct inspection in schools and report to the education director on monthly basis.