NHRC notice to UP chief secy over rotis, salt served in midday meal

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sent a notice to Uttar Pradesh chief secretary after taking cognisance of reports that children of a government-run primary school in Mirzapur were served rotis and salt for their midday meal.

According to a NHRC statement, the commission has sought a detailed report about the status of the midday meal scheme across the state within four weeks.

A video of children being served rotis and salt in their midday meal at Siyur Primary School under Jamalpur block of Mirzapur has gone viral on social media. The clip purportedly shows a woman distributing rotis and another woman giving salt to children as the midday meal.

Authorities have suspended two teachers, apparently in an immediate damage-control exercise.

The statement said, "The commission has issued a notice to the chief secretary, Government of Uttar Pradesh, calling for a detailed report in the matter within four weeks."
"The commission would like to know about the status of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme across the state in case of government and government-assisted primary schools and about the quality of food and the food items normally being provided to the children according to the midday meal scheme from the state government."