“Mid Day Meals progarm in India to nourish or perish school children?”

Since my internship days a decade ago at CARE Andhra Pradesh as Research associate for a community managed supplementary nutrition program. I have been witnessing a varied ways and means of  malpractice at various Anganwadi centres and Primary schools. Either the supplies are sold to other grocery shops or adulterated with local supplies of poor quality. Apart from this hygiene in preparation of these meals have been issues of primary concern, owing to shortage of fuel, water, poor methods of cooking. In few states children are lucky they are served meals that come from a central kitchen like Akshaya Patra scheme of  ISCKON   in Karnataka supplies  across all the government schools !

However none of these methods is barred from safe meal supply. There have been sporadic episodes of food poisoning reported every quarter from some small village or town  of the country leading to hospitalization of school children. Unfortunately what we have been watching and reading about the recent Food poisoning in a mid day meal at a primary school of Saran district in Bihar last Wednesday 17 Jul 2013, leading to the death of close to 20 odd children  and few more still in critical condition battling  for life . The deaths occurred by organo phosphorous poisoning key ingredient in several insecticides used in farming and domestic use), which was found in the  intestines of the deceased children following forensic test report.

How was Mustard oil used for preparing that fateful day’s meal was adulterer with this toxic chemical compound?

More questions remain unanswered .

The person who was preparing the meal did not recognise the smell of the oil even upon heating and changing colour of the soy curry to black?

When children were served the food, and few complained of black colour .However they were forced to eat what was served, why ?

Who does the quality check and tasting the food before serving ? Was the person checking food not aware of the smell and taste and most importantly colour of the food(soy curry)?

It’s an unpardonable and heinous attitude of the school authorities leading to death of innocent children for no mistake. While this remains as one of the most shocking incidents of mid day meal program failure there are  “11 crore children, benefiting from hot cooked nutritious food in 12 lakh schools” as per  mid day meal scheme( http://mdm.nic.in/)

 Where is the scheme going wrong I have been visiting this link for mid day meal scheme closely for past few weeks http://mdm.nic.in/ and realize its a herculean task indeed! The website looks great on par with any other private organisations website rather more robust with various details related to  this scheme. Unfortunately like all the virtual updates look great but when it comes to commission these schemes practically there are several impending factors.  There is no one method which will go fool-proof and show great success.

Focus of Mid day meal scheme (MDMS) initially was to attract children and increase their enrolment in school and meal was an incentive. But sadly this remains only on papers every state with its changing political powers and bureaucrats ignores this scheme as this set of population is not a vote bank and there are no gains what so ever even if used as an agenda for political wins. However leaving aside the political gains for once we need to realise that we need to take the MDMS more seriously with an important purpose of providing a happy childhood to all children which is their right ! ( basic education and nourishing meal). Leaders and governments in power should also keep in mind that todays children are tomorrows youth/citizens and lets nourish them and not perish !

Our heartfelt condolences  to all the parents who have lost their children in this tragic episode of Mid  day meal food poisoning!  

–  Suphala  Care