Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia Orders Mid-Day Meal Inspections By Senior Officers

Two days after a dead rodent was found in the lunch at a government-run school in the capital, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday ordered that all 33 mid-day meal kitchens should be inspected by senior officers.

An official statement issued by the Deputy Chief Minister said the government was very serious about the incident of a rat being found in a mid-day meal at a government school at Deoli in south Delhi and so Delhi Chief Secretary had been asked to schedule mid-day meal inspections by senior officers of the government.

"There are 33 mid-day meal kitchens in Delhi and these shall be inspected by senior officers of the rank of Principal Secretary, Secretary and Head of the Department," Mr Sisodia said in the statement.

The deputy chief minister, who also holds the education portfolio, said the inspections would be completed by February 24.

"The health and safety of students is of paramount importance for us. This is why we are getting the senior-most officers of our government to inspect the hygiene and cleanliness of the mid-day meal served to children," Mr Sisodia said in the statement.

The statement said these senior officers would look into all aspects of the mid-day meal including hygiene at kitchens, transportation of food, serving in schools and the overall cleanliness and hygiene of the process.

The BJP on Friday staged a protest against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the aftermath of nine students of a government school being taken ill after a dead rat was found in their midday meal.

The BJP alleged that the case is not an "isolated" incident of "mismanagement" in schools.