Coming down heavily on school managements discriminating against midday meal workers belonging to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has warned of action if any school is found to be removing such workers without reason.
In a circular issued last week, the department stated that if SC/ST midday meal workers are removed from work, the Deputy Directors of Public Instruction (DDPI) need to verify the matter and ensure that they are reinstated if the reason for termination of service is not found to be valid. If the DDPI finds the reason valid, another worker belonging to the same category has to be appointed in their place.
The department has also categorically said that midday meal workers should be used only to cook noon meals and not to prepare meals for private functions, including those held by teachers.
These instructions have been issued after a section of midday meal workers carried out a strike last week, affecting the supply of midday meals at some schools for a day. The workers also brought it to the department’s notice that they were being exploited and their husbands were being asked to work as watchmen at schools late at night. The department, in the new guidelines, has prohibited this.
Matters of quality regarding midday meals have also been raised, with the department saying that if any of the ingredients were spoilt, they should be discarded and fresh provisions used. The provisions should be allotted to midday meal workers and helpers based on the attendance of students. The department has also noted that some heads of schools were directing workers to clean and use spoilt provisions. A strict direction has been issued stating that if the health of any of student is affected because of this, action will be initiated against the officials concerned. The guidelines also order the formation of a committee to which the workers can report cases of physical and mental harassment.
H.K. Ramachandrappa, honorary president, Karnataka State Midday Meal Workers Federation, welcomed the move to inquire into reasons for removal of workers. He said there was a need for due diligence in carrying out such investigations.
