Following a report that students in a government school was made to eat their mid-day meal on the ground, the rights commission had set guidelines that workers should be hired for cleaning utensils in the schools, clean drinking water facilities should be provided, mid-day meals should be served in a clean surrounding, and the number of plates, glasses and other utensils should be more than the number of students.

However, even after repeated recommendations, the school in Guna has not made the arrangements. Students are compelled to wash utensils after their meals and are made to fetch water for the same from a nearby water tank.

The school, reportedly, is in a dilapidated state, and it neither has water facilities nor a toilet in the school building.

When brought the matter to notice, sub-divisional magistrate Chachoda Abhay Singh Kharari said he will immediately take action on the same.

A latest survey by the non-governmental organisation Child Rights and You reveals that in 27% of schools across MP, mid-day meal was either not being cooked inside a designated kitchen, or schools did not have a kitchen space. Around 77% schools had no water facility in the toilets, and about 8% of schools have no toilets at all. In 49% of schools, toilets are unused.

The survey also stated that 14% of schools do not have access to safe drinking water and hand pumps are used to draw water in most of the schools.

PREVIOUS CASES THIS YEAR

Hindustan Times, October 19 edition reported that Rozra Chakkar government primary school has only 12 plates for 47 students. Three to four students are forced to eat their meals from a single plate.

-On September 30, a photograph was published on two Class 5 students of government primary school in Chhatarpur preparing mid-day meal, prompting the district authorities to order an inquiry into the incident.

March 2016, it was reported that Veeran Ahirwar, Class 3 student in a school in Damoh, drowned in a well when he went to fetch water after his mid-day meal.