Patna, Nov. 23: Students of around 210 government schools in Patna district would have to skip their midday meal for the next fortnight.
A day after a dead rat was found in the midday meal supplied to the Government Primary School in Saidpur, the chief minister today ordered stern action against the non-government organisation (NGO) which supplied the food to the school.
Ekta Shakti Foundation, a Delhi-based NGO, supplies midday meals to 210 government schools in Patna district from its centralised kitchen.
Bihar director of midday meal R. Laxmanan told The Telegraph that a team had been formed to probe into the incident. “We had discussions with the education department in this connection. A team, comprising an additional district magistrate-rank officer, one official each from the midday meal directorate and the education department apart from the district education officer has been formed to investigate the case. The NGO suppl ies midday meal to 210 of 3,000 government schools in Patna district. The rest of the sc- hools cook the meal on their own. The midday meal in these 210 schools has been suspended. The NGO has been issued a showcause notice. The state government has asked it why their agreement should not be suspended. We hope the team submits its report by Monday,” he said.
Despite repeated attempts, officials of the NGO could not be contacted.
The team has recommended that the NGO be immediately removed from duty.
Patna district magistrate (DM) N. Saravana Kumar has given directions that a FIR be lodged against the NGO and unknown persons in connection with the incident. The DM said the FIR has been lodged at Kadamkuan police station.
Two teachers of the school have been suspended and departmental proceedings have been initiated against them.
The team, after initial probe, said the school’s head teacher, Manju Kumari, and her colleague, Reena Kumari, were not present at the time the food was served. The duo have not given any reason for their absence. Moreover, the school cook and the attendant were not reporting for duty for over a month. The cook’s daughter was serving the food to the children.