Title: School in Uttar Pradesh Suspends Caterers after Serving Insects-infested Mid-Day Meals
Publication Date: September 20, 2023, 18:19 IST
In a shocking incident in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district, a government school came under scrutiny after serving mid-day meals infested with insects to the students. The students immediately rejected the contaminated food and reported the issue to concerned authorities, leading to an investigation.
According to reports, the incident occurred in Adampur village, where students noticed insects in their meals during lunchtime. The school authorities attempted to suppress the matter and instructed the students to remain silent when they raised their concerns with the administration.
Unable to find a resolution within the school, the students reached out to their parents, who protested in the school premises and subsequently lodged an official complaint with the district magistrate (DM) against the school administration.
Taking swift action, the DM ordered a thorough investigation into the matter. A team from the food department was dispatched to the school to collect samples of the contaminated food as per the DM’s directive.
During the investigation, it was discovered that the school administration displayed gross negligence in the preparation and serving of mid-day meals. The lack of a taste-checking system before serving, poor quality ingredients, and the absence of a designated teacher in charge of managing the mid-day meal scheme were some of the major issues highlighted in the report.
Additionally, the report revealed that the school had failed to maintain and update the meal register since March, further exposing their disregard for the safety and quality of the food provided to the students.
As a result of the investigation’s findings, the school caterers and administration officials involved were suspended. The Department of Basic Education also visited the primary school in Adampur village to assess the overall meal-serving practices.
This incident serves as a warning for schools and educational institutions to prioritize the health and well-being of their students ensuring proper food safety measures and adherence to guidelines for mid-day meal schemes. Authorities are urging schools to implement rigorous checks and balances to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.
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