Govt to cooks, principals: you sample food before serving

The Bihar government made it mandatory for the principals and cooks of all primary schools in the state to taste mid-day meals before serving them to children.

The Bihar government made it mandatory for the principals and cooks of all primary schools in the state to taste mid-day meals before serving them to children.

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The ‘public notice’, issued by education department principal secretary Amarjeet Sinha, came in the wake of the death of 22 children after they ate an ‘insecticide-laced’ mid-day meal at a school in north Bihar.

The notice also said, “Officials of the education department going for inspection to schools should taste the meals cooked therein to ascertain their quality and mention the same in their inspection report.”

“It is hereby reiterated that the direction should be followed strictly, failing which stringent administrative action will be initiated (against the erring persons),” the notice read.

Earlier too, said the notice, the principals and cooks of all government primary schools had been directed to follow this procedure. The notice also directed the principals to ensure that insecticides and fertilisers were not stored with eatables.

The central government has decided to form a committee to look into the quality of food being provided. HRD minister MM Pallam Raju said this committee would look at the qualitative aspect of the programme.

(With details from New Delhi)