PANJIM: The lizard in the midday meal at the Mollem school has again highlighted the fact that Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) continue to shirk their responsibility to taste the midday meal before it is served to students.
The Education Department concedes that the two-year-old Circular asking all schools to monitor the scheme on a daily basis is not being adhered to by most institutions. It has now urged PTAs to taste the midday meal while also inspect the hygienic conditions in the kitchens.
“We have urged PTAs to strictly follow the circular to ensure a Bhoma-like incident does not recur. The PTAs can also check the quality and make suggestions,” Education Director G P Bhat told Herald.
The incident at Mahanandu Memorial Naik High School, Bhoma had officials panic when 22 students were rushed to the primary health centre after a student found a lizard in the meal on Tuesday. Ekata Mahila Self Help Group (SHG) that supplied the meal to the school and to some 24 other schools has been barred from providing the service pending an FDA report.
Two SHGs – Mahila Utkarsh Self Help Group and Shivbaba Self Help Group have been roped-in to supply the meals to the schools, which were allotted to Ekata Mahila SHG.
A new circular is likely to be issued on Friday asking the schools and the SHGs to check the quality of the midday meal before serving it to students and ensure cleanliness of the premises where the food is cooked. Education officials will be assigned to conduct surprise inspection and submit timely reports. It is learnt that food inspectors attached with the FDA are also likely to inspect the premises on regular basis.
