Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan has criticised the State government decision exempting midday meals served in State schools from the mandatory food safety licence.
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Mr. Satheesan has written to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeking to withdraw the General Education department order making food safety licence non-binding for school midday meals, calling it irresponsible and objectionable.
Food poisoning
Pointing out incidents of food poisoning reported in State schools in recent times, Mr. Satheesan said that according to the order, the midday meal was not a business, only a legal and statutory provision, and hence, the food safety licence was not binding.
Mr. Satheesan wrote that Section 3 of the Food Safety and Standards (Safe Food and Healthy Diets for Schoolchildren) Regulation, 2020, stipulated that the quality of food served to students should be ensured. “It is the constitutional responsibility of the State governments to implement the Food Security Act. The decision not to comply with the Central law in the matter of children’s midday meal is illegal.”
The Chief Minister should intervene to withdraw this “anti-people” order and ensure food safety standards in the distribution of midday meals, Mr. Satheesan said in the letter.