Kids eat substandard food

This continues despite continued loud protests against feeding children readymade ‘nutritious’ food from such packets.

Change of plan
Children below six years of age were being fed food prepared using rice, green gram and other grains and pulses in Anganwadi Centres. The Government, however, suddenly changed its plan and began supplying nutrition food prepared before hand and packed in cartons.

Although frequent objections were raised in the taluk about the low quality of the nutrition food, the children were continued to be given the same food.The children started suffering from stomach ache and dysentry but the concerned department did not heed the pleas. Packets whose expiry dates are long past are being continually supplied to the Anganwadi Centres for three to four months. The workers are forced to use the worm-infested food to the children, who continue to fall ill.

Meetings to no end
A discussion on the matter of the food packets was carried on recently during the zilla panchayat’s monthly review meeting in the presence of District In-charge Secretary P N Shrinivasachari.

The deputy director of the department had accepted that the children were being fed substandard food. He added that packets past the expiry dates would be returned and fresh packets would be supplied.But the assistant director of the taluk has proven too lethargic to undertake the measure, and the children continue to eat food from the old packets.

Disregard
If the Government was indeed concerned about the well-being of the people, it would take more stringent measures about the issue. It would also take steps to prevent any mishap in the future.

But, inspite of meetings being conducted even now, no improvement has been found, complained social worker M N Bharadwaj.

We have never ordered the supply of packets past the expiry date having worm-infested food. If such packets are still used, they should be returned to the department in exchange for new packets, said taluk Child Welfare Officer Iraswamy.