About 50 students at a government primary school in Mahoba district were allegedly served milk diluted in a bucket of water in violation of the prescribed mid-day meal (MDM) scheme norms that require each child to be given 200 ml of locally available loose milk or packaged milk along with the freshly cooked meal.
A video purportedly showing the mixing of two half-litre milk packets in a large bucket of water in the presence of the teacher in-charge was recorded on a mobile phone and later went viral on social media on Friday. The video clip shows a cook adding water to the milk while the teacher is heard asking students to drink a glass of the diluted milk.
Mahoba Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) Rahul Mishra said the teacher in-charge, Monika Soni, had been suspended with immediate effect after the video surfaced online.
“The government has directed that every child be given 200 ml of locally available pure or packaged milk. However, the school was not providing milk as per the prescribed standard,” the suspension order stated. The letter was shared by basic education minister Sandeep Singh.
The BSA said another video of the same teacher, in which she was allegedly seen sleeping during school hours, had also surfaced. The suspension order noted that the incident could adversely affect students’ health and reflected negligence in duty and misuse of government resources, thereby tarnishing the department’s image.
{{/usCountry}}The BSA said another video of the same teacher, in which she was allegedly seen sleeping during school hours, had also surfaced. The suspension order noted that the incident could adversely affect students’ health and reflected negligence in duty and misuse of government resources, thereby tarnishing the department’s image.
{{/usCountry}}Monika Soni, head teacher of Dhikwaha Primary School in Kabrai block, has been attached to Sijhari Upper Primary School in the same block, according to the order.
Mahoba district magistrate Gazal Bharadwaj confirmed that a preliminary inquiry had been conducted and the teacher suspended. “I am also ordering a detailed magisterial inquiry into the matter,” she said.
Outrage on social media
The visuals triggered sharp reactions online, with several users criticising the implementation of the nutrition scheme. Posts on social media platforms questioned the quality of meals being served to children.
“Doodho nahaao, phulo phalo — looks like the blessing has taken an innovative turn: two 500 ml packets of milk poured in a bucket of water. Truly, dilution has reached this level in the state,” a user posted on X.
“Buffalo milk is so thick that it could cause stomach cramps in children. Therefore, this solid step was taken. Milk was mixed with water. Hail the mid-day meal, hail the nutrition scheme,” another user posted.
This is not the first such incident in Uttar Pradesh. In November 2019 too, a video had emerged from a Sonbhadra school showing a cook mixing one litre milk in a bucket of water for around 81 students.