ALOT: In a shocking example of insensitivity, children at a primary school of Kajakhedi village in Alot tehsil of Ratlam on Tuesday were handed chappatis along with watery dal which hardly contained lentils as part of mid-day meal scheme.
What is shocking is that the government has fixed weekly menu for mid-day meal in schools, but self-help group or teachers hardly bother to follow this. As a result, children seldom get vegetables or pulses along with milk and fruits
Notably, Ganesh Self Help Gorup based in Bhutiya village is responsible for mid-meal at the school. As per the menu prescribed by the government, children are supposed to get kheer – puri in their lunch. However, what they really got is shocking.
Kajal, a student, said, “I had watery dal with chappatis today in my lunch. Sometimes, we are given half-cooked vegetables with chappatis but for today’s meal we just got dal and chappatis."
When asked about menu and kheer – puri, she was completely unaware of that.
Several other children at the school claimed they do not receive anything new in the meal unless some VIP or officier visits the school.
Many villagers blamed teachers for mismanagement.
"As per orders of department concerned, the menu of mid-day meals across the districts is fixed. But these incidents happen due to the lapse on the part of teachers and supervisory staff,” Radheyshyam Malviya, one of the villagers said.
After being intimated about it, district authorities called it "a serious lapse" and have initiated an inquiry into the incident.
Owing to the poor quality of the food supplied to students in the school, Alot Janpad Panchayat chief executive officer Govardhanlal Malviya without wasting a moment immediately sought clarification from the self-help group responsible for mid-day meal at Kajakhedi situated primary school.
Malviya, who was upset over irregularities in government's most anticipated scheme to encourage students to attend school, told president of Ganesh Self-help group that the quality of meal provided by it as mid-day meal was poor and if it fails to improve quality and meet standards set by the government, then janpad panchayat would be free to quash the contract.
Malviya also asked group to furnish clarification over irregularities in next two days.
