Karnataka govt forms task force to promote kitchen hygiene in Kalaburagi division

The checklist mandates the school authorities to regularly sweep and clean the kitchens to avoid lizards, cockroaches, rats, and insects. It also directs the school management to store the food properly in sealed containers, to ensure the utensils are washed and cleaned properly, and to provide soaps, mopping tools, brushes, and clothes to the kitchen staff. The checklist also prohibits the cook-cum-helper from wearing jewellery, bangles, watches, and rings, among other accessories, while cooking midday meals.

In fact, the Congress and the BJP locked horns over the prohibition of wearing bangles by the cook-cum-helper, with state BJP Chief Nalin Kumar Kateel and right-wing groups accusing the Siddaramaiah government of curtailing the freedom to practice religion. They also demanded a withdrawal of the July 10 circular. However, Siddaramaiah retorted that the ‘ban’ on bangles was stipulated by the Union government.

The decision to form the task force was taken after multiple incidents of students falling sick after consuming midday meals were reported from the Kalaburagi division comprising Bellary, Bidar, Kalaburagi, Koppal, Raichur, Yadgir and Vijaynagar districts.

Notably, in Bidar’s Humanabad taluk, nearly 40 students of a government school were hospitalised after consuming midday meals in the first week of July. According to education officials, the headmaster and the assistant director of public instruction were suspended for failing to supervise the quality of the meals. A report by the health department also stated that the vessels were not washed adequately and the eggs were not boiled properly.

On July 8, five students of a government school in Raichur vomited and fell sick after consuming upma as part of the midday meal. A probe revealed that a dead lizard was found in the midday meal. Around 80 students were rushed to a nearby public health centre for medical check-ups. The midday meal cook, headmaster and the assistant director of midday meals, Raichur were suspended.

In a similar incident in Yadgir’s Kembavi taluk, around 38 students of a government high school were rushed to hospital after a lizard’s tail was found in the midday meal. The assistant director of the midday meal programme, the cook and the headmaster have been suspended. According to education officials, students felt nauseous after consuming upma.

The midday meal department also directed the task force to consolidate the visit reports of the respective team heads and submit a copy to Zilla panchayat chief executive officers of the district. Officers concerned and headmasters have been directed to take necessary action to improve food hygiene.

“We have been receiving multiple reports of safety concerns in midday meal preparations from the Kalaburagi division. We have suspended a total of eight government officials in the division for failing to supervise and ensure safety standards while cooking midday meals… We have also provided a checklist based on which the officers should inspect the schools,” said an official associated with the midday meal scheme.