TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: After facing serve criticism in the aftermath of a series of food poisoning incidents in schools, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday announced that if school management and parents teachers association (PTA) do not take responsibility of monitoring meals served to children, the government would suspend the mid-day meal scheme, till a proper mechanism is put in place to provide 100 per cent hygienic food.
Parrikar, who is Minister for Education, said that government is also contemplating the possibility of engaging Bangalore-based Akshaya Patra, a charitable organization run by ISKCON for providing mid-day meal scheme to schools.
Speaking to media persons, Parrikar categorically stated “government cannot take the responsibility of monitoring meals supplied to children in every school. My responsibility is to give well prepared education and meals. The school management and PTAs have to take certain responsibility and monitor it.”
“If the schools and PTAs do not take the responsibility then I will suspend the meals, till proper mechanism is put in place to provide hygienic food,” he added.
The Chief Minister said that by the week-end Directorate of Education would issue clear cut guidelines announcing certain changes in the mid-day meal scheme. He
said that along with current food items supplied ~ pav bhaji and sheera, more options would be made available to schools, which can then opt for the food item of their choice and which would be served to them.
Parrikar also announced that freedom would be given to schools to choose self help group of their choice, who would be given contract to supply mid-day meal.
Chief Minister’s announcement came after there were three incidents of students falling sick after consuming mid-day meals. In the recent incident, total 19 students from a Pernem school were referred to health centre after consuming mid-day meal.
At the press conference, Parrikar distributed copies of a food and drugs administration department report which claimed there was no food poisoning in the incident that was reported at Usgao school on July 20.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar Monday said that government had ordered severe action against self-help groups that were providing mid-day meals to students of a school in Korgao-Pernem, where 19 students had fallen ill after consuming mid-day meal on Saturday, last week.
Parrikar said that directions have been issued to the Director of Education, after it was found that the issue of SHGs is not just limited to mid-day meal poisoning but some sub-contracting issue.
“The issue is not linked with food supply…I have asked director to take severe action,” he said.
Students of Classes V and VI at Kamleshwar High School in Devulwado-Korgao complained of uneasiness shortly after they ate pav bhaji served as the mid-day meal. In all 19 students were referred to the health centre.
