Manish Sisodia conducts surprise check at mid-day meal kitchens

New Delhi, Jul 9: Two days after a dead lizard was found in a mid-day meal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia today conducted surprise inspection in two kitchens in the city where the meals were being prepared for distribution in schools and warned the workers of strict action if any irregularities were found in future.

On Saturday, two girls were taken ill after having mid-day meal at a Delhi government school in East of Kailash in which a dead lizard was allegedly found.

"After the incident where two girls had to be hospitalised after eating mid-day meals in their school, I have decided to conduct regular inspections of kitchens from now on," Sisodia, who is also Delhi's Education Minister, told reporters during the inspection. Warning the kitchen workers of strict action, he said, "the work of preparing meals for children should be carried out responsibly and with a sense of service. All irregularities like not wearing gloves and not covering shoes should be taken care of."

Sisodia spotted lizard and cob webs on walls of one of the kitchen. "This is how accidents happen. No lizard or cobwebs should be seen around food. Strict action will be taken if any such irregularities are found during further inspections, " he said.

The Minister had last week terminated the food suppliers' contract after dead lizard was found in the mid-day meal. The contractor was responsible for supplying mid-day meal to 61 government schools in Delhi. A case was also registered at Kalyan Puri police station after a complaint was received from the school principal.

PTI