Parents criticise discrimination in mid-day meals in Mulund BMC school

MUMBAI: Parents of students at the Deendayal Upadhyay Municipal Corporation School complex in Mulund have raised concerns about the discrimination in the mid-day meals served to students of its five language mediums. Even after the BMC cancelled the catering contracts for the Hindi, Urdu and English mediums following complaints, the Kannada and Marathi medium students continue to receive food from the same caterer.

In August, parents of English-medium students complained after hair and pebbles were allegedly found in the mid-day meals. They also raised the issue before the School Management Committee, (SMC) demanding action against the supplier. Unhappy with the response from the school administration and the BMC’s central procurement department, they then parents approached the assistant commissioner of T ward.

Following the intervention, a new organisation, Suchita Mahila Mandal, began supplying meals to the English-medium section from October 10. However, the earlier caterer, Trimurti Mahila Mandal, continues to provide meals to Marathi and Kannada medium students. Parents have questioned why the BMC has taken action in only three sections when all five schools are part of the same complex.