Fixing systemic loopholes in midday meals programme can avert Bihar-type tragedy: Expert

Following the death of 23 children in a school in Indian state of Bihar after eating poisoned lunch served under government's mid-day meal scheme, questions have been raised about how similar tragedies can be prevented in the future.

Despite the recent incident, India's government-run midday meal programme for schoolchildren is considered to be a largely successful initiative, Greg S. Garrett, director of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition's (GAIN) Large Scale Food Fortification Initiative, said.

According to Fox News, Garrett said that despite the programme's largely successful record, both the national and state governments will now be tasked with re-evaluating and improving upon safety standards and protocols related to the midday meals.

He said that though the midday meals programme was set up by India's national government, individual responsibility for the implementation of the programme falls to the states.

According to the report, Garrett said that improving upon quality assurance and quality control standards related to both the purchase and preparation of foods at the local level could help prevent another disaster.

He added that setting up a system in which complaints about the midday meal programme, whether about the taste of the food or the standards of preparation, can be filed and addressed in a timely manner, the report said.

He said that better care should be taken when examining the supply chain for the foods served in the midday meals programme.