Mumbai: An LPG shortage across the city has begun to threaten the supply of cooked meals to thousands of students, with kitchen operators warning that school mid-day meal services could be disrupted within days if gas deliveries are not restored. BMC officials said several contractors who run centralised kitchens under the PM POSHAN Scheme (midday meals) have reported that they are running out of LPG needed to cook food.BMC education officer Sujata Khaire said operators have informed the civic body that they may not be able to continue preparing meals due to the non-availability of cylinders. “This is an imminent crisis. Food was able to reach students today, but we don’t know if it will tomorrow,” she said. Khaire added that since the programme is jointly run by the state and Centre, the civic body has written to the authorities concerned and is awaiting a response.Vikas Yashwente, who operates a kitchen in Govandi supplying mid-day meals to thousands of students in the city, said he only has LPG stock left to continue deliveries till Thursday. “All scheduled deliveries for the gas have been cancelled and we are being told there is simply no supply,” he said, adding some schools have begun asking whether he can provide dry snacks and food that do not require cooking, such as bhel.A principal from a school in Khar said their institution has not yet faced disruption but the situation remains uncertain. “We are still getting the mid-day meals and the suppliers have assured us a day or two more supply, but after that no one knows. Our school canteen is dependent on gas cylinders and even for those new orders are not being accepted. Once those run out we will come to know the true extent of the crisis,” the principal said. A number of other schools are also facing disruptions in their food services or foresee a serious problem in the coming days.Activist Ulka Mahajan warned that any prolonged disruption could affect student attendance. “Without food being served in schools you will see children starting to drop out, especially children of manual labourers who depend on this food for their nourishment. This is a grave crisis and the government needs to find a solution and not let these kitchens shut down,” she said.
