Sambalpur: Teachers are growing tomatoes and other vegetables on the school premises for Mid Day Meal

Sambalpur: There are many complaints about mid-day meal mismanagement in schools. In recent days, parents have complained about lizards coming out of lunch, children getting sick after eating, and poor-quality food. On the contrary, school authorities often say that the money received from government sources for mid-day meals is much less than the requirement. Alternatives are considered to solve the problem. If necessary, efforts are made to improve the quality of mid-day meals by contributing some money. Though some teachers have been able to grow vegetables on the school premises for lunch.

Loknath Baba High School is located in Gargadbahal village under the Redhakhol block of Sambalpur district. 93 students are studying in ninth and tenth grade in this school. 7 teachers teach them. 86 students from 6th to 10th standard live in the 100-seat Scheduled Tribe dormitory here. The hostel is managed by Naveen Behera, the principal of the school. Mr. Behera says every year some vegetable farming is done on the school premises. It is used in preparation for lunch and dinner. Due to the rains, no crops have been harvested yet. But bitter gourd, leech, gourd, and ladysfinger are cultivated. After a few days all this will be done. Before Corona, there was a lot of vegetables in the school premises. At that time, vegetables had to be bought from the market in small quantities for cooking in the hostel. Every year in the month of September, work on the school’s flower garden begins.