Watery midday meal: FIR against UP school principal, cook after video goes viral

After the video surfaced, the administration swung into action and suspended the school principal, Kalpana Verma, and the cook and lodged an FIR against them.

Uttar Pradesh’s basic education department has lodged an FIR and suspended the principal of a government primary school and a cook following complaints of substandard mid-day meal being served to students in Sitapur district after a video went viral on social media.

During the investigation, the children corroborated the details seen in the video, stating that they were frequently served poor-quality food. (Representative Image (Photo by Sakib Ali/HT))

A probe has been ordered in this regard, said BSA Sitapur over the phone on Thursday.

“In a viral video said to be of July 3, some vegetables dropped in water and burnt chappatis was served to students. The cook in her statement had confessed that poor quality food was being served to students at a government primary School in Sitapur district,” said BSA Gorakhnath Patel.

Video surfaces on social media

After the video surfaced, the administration swung into action and suspended the school principal, Kalpana Verma, and the cook, and lodged an FIR against them.

A district administration official in Sitapur said, “We have taken this matter of poor quality mid-day meals at Primary School Chhangapur in Mahmoodabad seriously. We sent the basic education officer for an on-site inspection, along with the block education officer. During the preliminary investigation, the viral video was found to be genuine. Taking cognizance of the matter, the school principal has been suspended with immediate effect. The cook working there has also been dismissed from service.”

Regular inspections directed

The administration has directed block education officers and block development officers to regularly inspect schools, sit with students, and eat the mid-day meal to ensure food is prepared and served according to prescribed quality standards.

A team comprising basic education officer (BSA) Gorakhnath Patel and the ABSA visited the school. During the investigation, the children corroborated the details seen in the video, stating that they were frequently served poor-quality food.