Over 90 % mid day meal samples fail quality test
11 March 2013 5:46 AM IST
In a startling revelation, the three city municipal corporations, in their reply to a Right To Information (RTI) Act query, have submitted that over 90 per cent samples of mid day meal fail the quality test. The three corporations collectively feed over 10 lakh primary students. The aim of the programme is to provide at least one balanced meal to children aged between 6 to 11 years of age. But with the substandard quality of food that is being fed to the children, this aim has clearly been defeated.
As per the data provided by the three Delhi municipal corporations - North DMC, South DMC and East DMC, a total of 162 samples of mid day meal food have been sent to the corporation designated laboratory, Shriram Institute for Industrial Research, between April 2012 and the present day. In the chemical analysis only 13 samples were found to meet the standard prescribed by the corporation. 'The food is edible but does not meet prescribed quality standard,' noted the laboratory.
North Delhi Municipal Corporation (North DMC) stands the best among the three in terms of the quality of mid day meal food but only 8.75 per cent samples have been found to meet the prescribed quality. The corporation had sent 80 mid day meal samples for tests of which only seven passed the test for both protein and calorie value said the RTI reply. However, among the failed samples 18 samples qualified the protein test but failed in the calorie value category and five samples met the calorie value requirement but failed in protein value. As per the standard for primary students each of mid day meal serving for each student must contain at least 12 gm of protein and 450 calories of energy.
South Delhi Municipal Corporation (South DMC) have sent 46 samples between April, 2012 and 31 October, 2012 for quality tests, of which only three could meet the standard for both protein and calorie value. Seven samples passed the protein standard but failed the calorie test, while four samples passed the calorie test but failed the protein value.
East Delhi Municipal Corporation, have sent 37 samples between July to 31 October, 2012 for tests of which only three samples have passed the nutritional standard. Here also three samples passed the protein test but failed the calorie count and six samples passed the calorie count but failed the protein requirement.
However, the percentage of samples that have met the require quality standard are worse for these two corporations, as only 8.1 per cent of samples sent by the East DMC managed to meet the quality standards, as against 6.5 per cent of samples of the South DMC
The situation was equally bad in the unified Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) as 158 samples of mid day meal were sent for test between April 2011- March 2012 of which only 7.5 per cent samples met the required nutritional standards said the RTI. Among the failed samples 23 could qualify protein test but failed in the required calorie value, while only one sample could meet the required calorie count, but failed the protein test. As per the agreement with NGOs that supply the mid day meal to the schools, the corporations can take action against them for the poor nutritional standard of food being sent.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
As per the data provided by the three Delhi municipal corporations - North DMC, South DMC and East DMC, a total of 162 samples of mid day meal food have been sent to the corporation designated laboratory, Shriram Institute for Industrial Research, between April 2012 and the present day. In the chemical analysis only 13 samples were found to meet the standard prescribed by the corporation. 'The food is edible but does not meet prescribed quality standard,' noted the laboratory.
North Delhi Municipal Corporation (North DMC) stands the best among the three in terms of the quality of mid day meal food but only 8.75 per cent samples have been found to meet the prescribed quality. The corporation had sent 80 mid day meal samples for tests of which only seven passed the test for both protein and calorie value said the RTI reply. However, among the failed samples 18 samples qualified the protein test but failed in the calorie value category and five samples met the calorie value requirement but failed in protein value. As per the standard for primary students each of mid day meal serving for each student must contain at least 12 gm of protein and 450 calories of energy.
South Delhi Municipal Corporation (South DMC) have sent 46 samples between April, 2012 and 31 October, 2012 for quality tests, of which only three could meet the standard for both protein and calorie value. Seven samples passed the protein standard but failed the calorie test, while four samples passed the calorie test but failed the protein value.
East Delhi Municipal Corporation, have sent 37 samples between July to 31 October, 2012 for tests of which only three samples have passed the nutritional standard. Here also three samples passed the protein test but failed the calorie count and six samples passed the calorie count but failed the protein requirement.
However, the percentage of samples that have met the require quality standard are worse for these two corporations, as only 8.1 per cent of samples sent by the East DMC managed to meet the quality standards, as against 6.5 per cent of samples of the South DMC
The situation was equally bad in the unified Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) as 158 samples of mid day meal were sent for test between April 2011- March 2012 of which only 7.5 per cent samples met the required nutritional standards said the RTI. Among the failed samples 23 could qualify protein test but failed in the required calorie value, while only one sample could meet the required calorie count, but failed the protein test. As per the agreement with NGOs that supply the mid day meal to the schools, the corporations can take action against them for the poor nutritional standard of food being sent.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
- Reply to RTI query reveals that NGOs supply mid day meals to schools have contract with flour mills in their area reveals . For Instance, Stri Shakti have contract with Sanjay Flour Mill in Bawana. The link between the NGOs and flour mills was revealed in a series of investigative stories published in Millennium Post between 22 to 31 October 2012
- None of the authorities have ever taken action against NGOs for supplying sub-standard mid day meal
- The education departments of Delhi government, DMCs, and NDMC don’t have the data to establish the impact of the mid day meal scheme on enrolment and attendance of students
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