Mumbai: Earlier this month, BMC came under the scanner when NGO Praja Foundation claimed that despite an extensive midday meal programme, every third child in BMC-run schools was malnourished. In a reinforcement of Praja’s claim, Dr Saida Khan, a corporator from Kurla, blamed the civic body for not keeping tabs on what was happening in civic schools after examining a meal provided in a BMC school.
Dr Khan carried the meal samples and showed them to BMC’s education department to prove her point. “I myself inspected each school in my area and carried food samples.” she told The Asian Age. “When BMC has a menu fixed for the entire week, how come it is providing the same ‘dal and rice’ to students every day!” she questioned. Dr Khan said that various kinds of meals were provided to students Monday through Saturday so that they got adequate nutrition. Dr Khan further alleged that sweets distributed to students on the occasion of Independence Day were fungus infested.
Shubhada Gudekar, chairperson, BMC education committee, said that all food samples would be sent to the laboratory to check for quality. “It is very sad to see such a thing happening in our schools. The next time we get any such complaints, strict action will be taken against the school management and the official who is in-charge.” The education department has promised to constitute an “inspection committee” to look into the matter.
Other corporators too stated the problems civic students were facing because of bad food. One of the corporators said, “Rice is bought in black so they can put extra money into their pockets which is why students are not getting proper nutrition even after BMC providing so many things. This is the reason malnutrition is increasing among civic students.”
As per the Praja report, malnutrition has increased more than four times in Mumbai, from 8 per cent in 2013-14 to 34 per cent in 2015-16. Asked about malnutrition, an official said, “From the meal to the menu, everything is decided by the state. Four-hundred-and-thirty calories that a student needs on an everyday basis, are given to him or her through the meal.” BMC is mulling providing peanuts and gram along with meals to provide nutrition.
