Anganwadi food tastes ‘peculiar’, samples lifted

Gaurav Kanthwal

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Mohali, April 20

Food samples from 10 anganwadi centres of the district were collected after beneficiaries and workers complained of ‘peculiar taste’ in khichdi, salted and sweetened porridge and undercooked panjiri.

As a precautionary measure, the distribution of food at these 10 centres in the Kharar area has been stopped.

The beneficiaries of these food items include children from 1 to 6 years of age and pregnant women in 150 Anganwadi centres in

the district.

Anganwadi workers said the cooked food started tasting bitter after a few minutes. The sweet and salt components were disproportionate in the porridge, adding that as a result of this, the children at the centres were either not eating their meals or were leaving it midway. Similar complaints were being received from other districts of the state, with beneficiaries complaining of ‘kirk’ in the food.

Officials maintained that there was no compromise on the quality of the food. Earlier, the food supply was done through Verka, but recently, Markfed had started supplying the food, they added.

The District Programme Officer visited some of the centres today to gather feedback from the workers.

Mohali ADC Sonam Chaudhary said, “Officials have visited two blocks of Kharar to inspect the ration and cooked food. The bitterness of cooked food is due to the soya content in one lot, which was distributed at the 10 centres. It has been replaced now. Regarding impurities, nothing has been found till now. Samples have been collected for re-confirmation today, although officials from Markfed sent food supplies after a thorough check. The matter has been discussed with all the departments concerned, and further action will be taken on Monday.”