After High Court Nudge, Telangana Govt Constitutes State-Level Committees To Monitor Food-Safety Standards In Preparation Of Mid-Day Meals

Following incidents of multiple students being hospitalized after consuming mid-day meals provided in government-run schools between the 20th-26th of November, the Telangana High Court was on Thursday informed that the State government has taken steps to ensure adherence to food safety standards.

Additional Advocate General appearing for the State informed that apart from the committees that were to be formed under the PM Poshan Scheme, the State government had issued a memo dated 27/11/2024 for constitution of additional Committees, comprising Head Master/ Principal/ Warden and two other staff members to supervise the preparation of mid-day meals. The key functions of the committee are:

1. Inspect the store room and kitchen before the preparation of every meal;

2. Taste the food and ensure quality standards before serving;

2. Take photographs of activities 1 & 2 and maintain a data base, till the Nodal Department.

The memo further directs the District Collector to ensure that Mandal/ Division/ District Level officers function as supervisory officers for each educational institution and visit the premise once the food is prepared and eat the food every day (as far as possible) before it is served to the students.

The development comes in a PIL challenging non-implementation of a GO issued in 1994 which provides that all State-run and local-body run schools should provide mid-day meals.

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J Sreenivas Rao perused the action taken report filed by the State on December 02, and noted that with respect to the incident that took place on 20^th November, the Head Master and Concerned Min-day meal in charge teacher had both been suspended; the Vice-Principal was now supervising the preparation of mid-day meals.

With respect to the incident that took place on 21^st November, the agency providing the mid-day meals had been removed and the assistance of cooks from social welfare hostels was being taken. Further, the entire stock of raw material used for the preparation of mid-day meals was changed.

With respect to the incident that took place on the 22^nd , a technical team was sent along with the District Manager, Civil Supplies to examine the quality and mode of preparation of rice.

The Court has now asked the State to file the report of the State Committees, along with the report of the Committees formed under the PM Poshan scheme, within 6 weeks.

Case no.: WP(PIL) 29 of 2024

Counsel for petitioner: Prabhakar Chikkudu

Counsel for respondent: Sr. Mohammed Imran Khan (Additional Advocate General for the State of TS), Parismita Saikia appearing on behalf of Manjari S. Ganu and Gadi Praveen Kumar, Deputy Solicitor General

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