Safety guidelines flouted; eight CDPOs pulled up

A report from Divisional Food Laboratory, Mysuru division, has confirmed that substandard quality  food grains have been supplied to Anganwadis in Mandya district.

It was found that tur and green gram, coated with the hazardous food colouring product called Tartrazine was being supplied to the centers.

As per the safety guidelines issued by the government, every food item that is supplied to anganwadi centres should be tested and certified for its quality before hand.

The Tartrazine coated food grains have been supplied for five months between May and October, with the bills of the respective contractors being cleared, bringing to the fore the dereliction of duty by child development officers of the district. It is learnt that the commodities are rarely sent for testing, with only a few samples being sent for certification.

Ironically, even after the laboratory had categorised it as unfit for consumption, tur and green gram have been supplied and bills were paid.

ZP CEO Rohini Sindhuri, who had recently raided a warehouse in Maddur, had found several bags containing suspicious looking food grains. Also, following a complaint that the grains were of poor quality, she directed Deputy Director of Women and Child Development Diwakar to conduct a probe and submit a report, following which, the offices of all the eight child development project officers were inspected. As per the report submitted to the ZP CEO on November 22, the food grains supplied to anganwadi centres in Malavalli and Maddur are not safe for consumption.

The report also states that distributing the food grains by authorities concerned even after knowing it is of substandard quality amounts to dereliction of duty. The ZP CEO has dashed off a letter to  Principal Secretary of  Women and Child Development department recommending stern action against the officials.
DH News Service