In the aftermath of the Bihar mid-day meal tragedy that claimed the lives of 23 children, a West Bengal-based survey has revealed "significant negligence" in the mid-day meal programme in the state.
Encompassing 10 districts and 206 villages, the study conducted by West Bengal Education Network (WBEN) in collaboration with Child Rights and You (CRY), has shed light on "infrastructural inadequacies" in the state that cripples the mid-day meal initiative to a "large extent".
The survey says that in 31.62 percent schools, there are no arrangements for separate kitchen sheds for cooking mid-day meals and no specific dining space.
"There is no infrastructure and no management for the scheme. In some places, uncooked rice is distributed due to lack of kitchens," said Swapan Panda, founder-member of WBEN.
On July 16, nearly 50 children were admitted to hospital in Chhapra, Saran district of Bihar, after they fell ill soon after eating their free lunch at school, provided as part of the government's mid-day meal scheme. Of them, 23 died. The food is suspected to have contained chemicals found in insecticides.
"There are instances of rice being adulterated with pebbles as well, but in our state, the mid-day meals scheme is not as bad as in Bihar," said Satya Gopal Dey of CRY.
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The survey titled Shikshar Adhikar Prayog Abhiyan 2013 - Ekti Protibedan (Campaign on Implementation of RTE 2013 - A report) was carried out to gauge the status of implementation of the Right To Education (RTE) law that came into force in 2009.
It also showed that a staggering 892 children have dropped out of schools in the villages covered.
Panda said the atmosphere in schools is not attractive enough to keep children in school.
"In many areas, parents are not interested in sending their children to school, though they did not highlight atrocities committed by teachers on their children," said Dey.
Moreover, there are no toilets exclusively for girls in 40.59 percent schools and in the schools that do have provisions for a separate girls toilets, the doors are not secure.
Other red flags include lack of playgrounds in 60 percent of schools and absence of libraries in 65 percent of the educational establishments.