Floods disrupt mid-day meals across govt schools in Ajnala, Ramdas

The recent floods have disrupted the mid-day meal/PM Poshan programme across several schools in the border belt of Ajnala and Ramdas.

Returning to normalcy comes with a challenge to continue the mid-day meal scheme the usual way. The dry ration stock, including grains, groceries (wheat, rice etc) of most schools has been destroyed or rendered unusable. The kitchen and cooking areas, water supply and tanks have been damaged or completely rendered non-functional, while utensils that were used for cooking meals have also been either lost or require extensive cleaning and sanitisation.

“The cooking gas that we used for cooking meals was washed away and our entire stock of rice and atta got wet and had to be thrown. We have now prepared a mud chulha to cook meals, the ration is being sourced daily from local shops,” said Gurvinder Kaur, a mid-day meal worker at Government Middle School, Macchiwal.

Similarly, at Government Primary Smart School, Kotli Korotana, located a few km from the international border in Ajnala, the kitchen is now unsafe for cooking as huge cracks have appeared due to water-logging. “When we opened the doors, it was a heart breaking sight. The drums storing our grains were completely damaged, utensils had layers of algae and mud on them. Even food storage registers and other stock like vegetables were rotten. It took us two days of cleaning the utensils and even then, we decided not to serve or cook food in some of these due to safety and health concerns,” said Sarabjeet Kaur, a teacher at the school. She said for the time being, meals were being provided to the kids, who were less than 10 years of age. “Most kids in primary schools depend on that one nutritional meal offered in schools. It will take schools some time to resume the proper mid-day meal services, though we are sourcing food material locally for now,” said Sukhbir Singh, school head, Govenrment Elementary Smart school, Kotli Korotana. Government schools at Thobe, where bags full of grains lie spoiled, Pandori, Awan and other villages too face similar situation.

Unlike earlier times, where a designed menu for the meals had to be served, the schools are sourcing whatever is available to continue with the scheme.

Saurabh, official in charge, PM Poshan/Mid-day Meal programme, Punjab, said they were aware of the problem. “The PWD officials and our team have been visiting schools, taking an estimate of each school. An assessment report will then be submitted to the district commissioners and, accordingly, a contingency plan made.”

In the meantime, the school committees had been told to report any problem to the Block Development Officer concerned.