Kolkata: Amid the LPG shortage, several schools in the city are serving alternative menus that include fruits, eggs, and one-pot meals.
It has been nearly a month since the midday meal scheme in state-aided schools, from primary to upper primary sections, has been operating under an acute shortage of LPG. Self-help groups assigned to provide midday meals to multiple schools are searching for alternative menus that can save as much fuel as possible. Several schools with their own cooking facilities have also reduced items, serving dal on alternate days to conserve fuel.
Indranil Mukherjee, a spokesperson for a self-help group, said they have been serving a one-pot meal, khichdi, along with an egg for each student on alternate days. “We have continued this menu for the last two weeks but the situation has not improved. And from next week, we might serve only khichdi.”
Mitra Institution, Main, is planning to cut down its menu items from next week. School headmaster Sayantan Das said they are serving dal three times a week and eggs on another three days. “We cannot neglect the nutrition of our children even in this situation. However, we may shift to khichdi on a regular basis if this situation continues,” he added.
Deb Kumar Das, a spokesperson for a self-help group that serves midday meals to 85 state-aided schools in and around Kolkata, said they served one seasonal fruit to students along with their daily meal to maintain balance. He said, “This arrangement was only for this month, and we managed to get some gas cylinders. We are hoping that we can serve regular menus for some days. But if this situation continues for long, we don’t know what will happen.”
Narayandas Bangur Multipurpose School has arranged a wood-fired oven as an alternative, which has been used for the last two days as gas cylinders are unavailable. Sanjay Barua, the school headmaster, said, “We need at least 20 gas cylinders a month. But right now, supply has become irregular. So we have made an alternative arrangement, which we have been using for the last two days. We shifted to a menu of one vegetable curry and rice, and stopped serving dal for the time being.”
The school education department has mandated that students must be served cooked midday meals instead of dry food. Schools have been following this directive while reducing menu items to keep the midday meal scheme running.
