A large number of women mid-day meal workers tried to lay siege to HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao’s house at the M.V.P. Colony here opposing the government’s decision to introduce cluster system all over the State and run the mid-day meal scheme through private agencies.
Police did not allow them to enter the street on which the house is located, but the workers stormed through the barricades leading to arrests.
There was pushing and jostling with the protesters trying to reach up to the gate of the Minister’s house. Around 3,000 workers from all over the district participated in the protest.
The women workers then came on to the national highway at Isukathota near MVP Double Road and staged a ‘rasta roko’ there leading to a traffic jam for sometime.
Police took some more protesters into custody there, according to union leaders.
The arrested included Mid-Day Meal Scheme Workers’ Union State president and secretary G. Varalakshmi and K. Swarupa Rani respectively, district president K. Prasanna, honorary president S. Aruna and CITU district secretary G. Koteswara Rao.
The union is opposing the cluster system in which nine mandals of the district are proposed to be given to a private agency. The schools within 20 km are part of one cluster.
Workers’ contention
The union contended that since the food was prepared early at one place and distributed at noon, it would lack nutritional values. It alleged that the implementation at Mangalagiri, Tulluru, Tadepalli, Gajuwaka and Rajamahendravaram showed lack of quality.
They were demanding, among other things, payment of minimum wages instead of the ₹1000 to each worker, increase in menu charges, basic facilities to prepare food, LPG on subsidy and monthly payment of bills and wages.
