On Thursday, in an unfortunate incident in Delhi, nine students who were served mid-day meal at Government Boys’ Senior Secondary School, Deoli in Delhi, fell ill and had to be rushed to hospital. Investigations found a dead rat in the meal, which most likely resulted in the kids falling sick. The kids are believed to be out of danger now.
Later details started to emerge about an NGO by the name of Jan Chetna Jagriti Evam Shaikshanik Vikas Manch, which was contracted to deliver the meal to this particular school. As it turns out, the director of the NGO Kunwar Pal Singh, is the father-in-law of AAP’s Ambedkar Nagar MLA Ajay Dutt, and it’s not the first time the NGO has been in trouble over supplying mid-day meals.
In May 2013, it was one of the 17 NGOs whose mid-day meal didn’t meet the necessary nutritional requirements, due to which its payments were withheld. However, it appears that they continued to be in business despite failing to meet standards.
It is not clear if the new AAP government carried out an audit of the NGOs that were serving mid-day meals in Delhi schools, or whether all those in business under the Congress regime were allowed to continue. Or was this particular NGO given preferential treatment because one of its director happens to be an AAP MLA’s relative?