Around 375 students studying in Class 6, 7 and 8 of Government Middle School at Parsouriya village in Sagar district have been eating their mid-day meals on pieces of newspapers and study material.
They have also been forced to have a meagre meal of dal and rice due to lack of wheat supply for the last two months.
Sources claim the students are facing hardship because of the officials’ apathy. The mid-day meal prepared by Krishna self help group is served on pieces of newspaper.
At times, the children tear pages from their notebooks or carry saucers from their homes. Meera Lodhi, heading the group, said she prepares what she gets and that officials have been informed on many occasions that there are no utensils at the SHG.
Principal of the school, ML Ahirwar told HT that he had been posted there since 2013 and has taken charge as principal a few months before.
“Since I came here, the children were not being served meals in their ‘thali' and they either use newspaper or saucers which they bring from their home. For the last two months, wheat allotment has not been received and children are being served only ‘dal-chawal’. I had informed my seniors concerned on both issues, but so far no action has been taken. On August 15, all children used newspaper for their meal of rice and dal,” Ahirwar said.
{{/usCountry}}“Since I came here, the children were not being served meals in their ‘thali' and they either use newspaper or saucers which they bring from their home. For the last two months, wheat allotment has not been received and children are being served only ‘dal-chawal’. I had informed my seniors concerned on both issues, but so far no action has been taken. On August 15, all children used newspaper for their meal of rice and dal,” Ahirwar said.
{{/usCountry}}Pradumna Chourya, project officer of district panchayat (mid-day meal) told HT that wheat allotment was made to the school some time back and Rs 2400 was sanctioned for utensils. “I am sending a team to enquire about the failure,” Chourya said.
Hargovind Prajapati, a local social activist, said the schoolchildren have to search for water as the borewell is inactive, due to which, a newly constructed toilet has remained locked.