Children reluctant to have mid day meal in Bihar

Students in at least one district of Bihar are now reluctant to eat the mid-day meal served in their school following the death of 23 students after they had contaminated food in the state's Saran district.

Parents of children are now worried following the incident Tuesday.

Children of more than 20 schools in Saboar and Kahalgaon blocks in Bhagalpur district have refused to take the mid-day meal. They are carrying their own food in their tiffin boxes.

Ashutosh, a student of primary school in Gopalpur in Saboar block, said his parents have told teachers of his school not to give him food. They have also told him not to eat the food served in the school.

Hemlata, headmistress of a school, also said she is not getting the food cooked at her school.

An organisation, Ekta Shakti Foundation, has decided against providing food to schools of five districts -- Gaya, Patna, Vaishali, Begusarai and Nalanda.

Laxman, director of mid-day meal programme in Bihar, told IANS that he has received news of students not taking food at some schools in 5-6 districts. He said he is trying to resolve this problem.

After the Saran incident, the education department has decided to close down schools which have no building. As many as 8,000 schools without buildings shall be operated at nearby schools.

A staggering 13,500 schools do not have kitchen, while 7,600 schools has received land for construction of kitchen where it will be constructed soon.