Worms found in midday meal at govt school in Karnataka

The concept of midday meal at government schools was introduced to provide kids with balanced, nourishing meals around noon to restore energy levels and support productivity for the rest of the day.

But, there have been instances where substandard food has been served to kids resulting in health concerns. The most recent one was brought to attention in Karnataka's Koppal district, after worms were found in rice supplied to government schools. Scroll down to read the details.As per reports, the incident was reported on Tuesday at a government school in Bisaralli village of Koppal taluk, where school staff and students discovered worms in rice meant for preparing midday meals.

It is mentioned in media reports that as per officials, the rice for the scheme was supplied from multiple godowns across the district, while other ingredients such as dal, oil and condiments are provided by designated agencies.

And as per preliminary assessments it has been found that poor-quality rice and dal may have been supplied by private contractors. And as per data, more than 2.8 lakh schoolchildren in Koppal district depend on the midday meal scheme every day.

The latest update states that the district administration has suspended the cook and two staff members for negligence. After the incident, the Deputy Commissioner also visited a government school to assess the situation on the ground. He inspected the kitchen and food preparation area at the government-aided school in Bisaralli village of Koppal taluk and interacted with students to gather feedback on the quality of meals being served.

Confirming the act of negligence, the Deputy Commissioner has said that the sal bag was dispatched to the school in October and the kitchen staff were supposed to follow the standard operating procedures, which they failed to do and hence the necessary action has been taken.How to store rice and dal correctly to keep them worm-freeStore rice in a dry place: It is suggested to store rice in an air-tight dry container, and make sure to store the container also in a dry place. If possible, you can also use a dehumidifier to help reduce the moisture level in the room where you store the rice.Use air-tight container: The idea behind using an air-tight container is to protect the grain from moisture and moisture-borne rice weevils. It is best to use glass, steel or thick plastic air-tight containers.

Wash and dry the container: It is also suggested to wash and dry the container before storing rice. After washing, make sure the container is completely dry to avoid moisture, which helps preserve the rice quality and keep it free from weevils.Use spices: Apart from all this, after storing rice/dal in the right containers, add one of the spices like garlic, clove or cinnamon to it, as they are known to repel rice weevils due to their strong aromas, which these insects dislike.Images Courtesy: istock