Process for arranging food to be amended

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, November 22

After complaints during the ongoing 65th inter-school state-level athletics championship (Under, 14,17 and 19), the state Education Department has decided to amend the procedure of making food arrangements for students during all state-level competitions in future.

Till date, the state government gives Rs 200 for diet to each sportsperson during participation in competitions. But during the inauguration of games at Sangrur stadium on Thursday, when Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla asked girls from Muktsar whether they were given all facilities, they complained that they had not received food. The minister ordered a high-level inquiry to ascertain the reasons of not providing food to girls.

However, the girls later alleged that their teacher Joginder Singh threatened them for sharing their problem with the minister.

The minister ordered an inquiry and after which the Education Department suspended Joginder Singh, posted as lecturer of physical education, Government Senior Secondary School, Doda, for dereliction of duty.

“As per the present procedure, food arrangements are made by the district authorities during state-level competitions, while staying arrangement are made by the state authorities. Students have not faced any problem during their stay as we made all required arrangements,” said Rupinder Singh, state organiser of sports of school games.

A few senior officers said sportspersons of some other districts also faced similar problems and they did not get food on time despite the release of grant by the Education Department authorities.

Singla today confirmed to The Tribune that after taking detailed feedback from students and officials concerned, they had decided to centralise the process to make food arrangements for all students. In future a state-level committee will make food arrangements for all students and the district authorities will not have any such responsibility.

“We will change the procedure. In future all food arrangements during state-level competitions will also be made by state organising committee and not by the district authorities. When we are releasing all grants timely, students should not face any problem. I felt bad when girls told me that they did not get food and I do not want to see such things in future,” Singla added.