TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
CANACONA: Virtually rejecting the mid-day meal scheme in its current form, the PTA of Shri Mallikarjun Vidyalaya has resolved to accept the mid-day meals only when the State government comes out with the refurbished scheme as assured by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar last year.
This was decided at an emergency PTA meeting, which was convened on Saturday and attended by about 150 parents to chalk out the future course of action in response to the contaminated mid-day meals supplied to the school, causing 86 students to fall ill on Thursday. Anand Desai, president of school’s management Centro Promoter de Instrucao (CPI) and other CPI members along with the school headmaster Nelwyn Fernandes were also present at the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, PTA Chairman Santosh Gaonkar said the parents had felt that their children were not safe with the present mid-day meals scheme and more importantly, with the present supplier of the meals.
Parents also demanded a modified menu of mid-day meal scheme and preferred fruits instead of cooked food. Some also suggested that the government could pass on the money, which it spends per child in the mid-day meal scheme, to the parents so that they can use the money to feed their child in the best manner.
The PTA later resolved to decline the mid-day meals at the school till the government implements a new scheme with improved meals and with a different supplier.
The PTA has also decided to write to the education department regarding the resolution passed at the meeting on Saturday and it was later signed by all PTA members present at the meeting. The letter was submitted to CPI, who assured the aggrieved parents that they would take up the matter with the education department and government.
It may be recalled that on July 31, 2012, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had promised in the assembly that the mid-day meals would be made more appetizing, nutritious and hygienic for school children. He had pointed out that whatever is provided will be nutritious with a balance of proteins and calories.
Claiming that the food served as a mid-day meal in schools “was not fit even for animals”, Parrikar had said that the government would work out a new diet by Diwali last year.
Parrikar’s plan involved PTAs of schools or through community kitchens run by self help groups, where the material would be provided by the government or a third option of serving flavoured milk packaged by milk companies along with multigrain biscuits.
