Jabalpur: In a shocking compromise with the health and safety of schoolchildren, mid-day meals were found to be cooked inside a toilet complex at Domdadar village of Madhya Pradesh’s Dindori district over the last few months, prompting complaints from locals.
All children at the primary school, numbering about 30, were having their mid-day meals in the toilet complex, it was alleged.
Acting on the complaints, Shahpura project officer Vipin Daheriya and block resource centre (BRC) officer Guru Prasad Sahu reached the village for a surprise inspection on Saturday.
They found that the unhygienic arrangement for cooking mid-day meals had been in place since December.
Despite the matter having a direct bearing on the health and well-being of students, the school staff allegedly concealed information from senior officials.
Authorities claimed the lapse went unreported by teacher Madho Singh Paraste and Anganwadi worker Subhadra. Following the inspection, the cooking arrangement was immediately shifted to an alternate building within the school premises, ensuring proper conditions.
Officials said the original kitchen shed fell into disrepair almost three years ago, adding that the school management decided to shift mid-day meal cooking to a nearby sanitation complex next to the Anganwadi centre after two LPG cylinders were stolen in Nov 2025.
It was alleged that the shift took place on the directions of sarpanch Manoj Kumar Marko and secretary Balram Saiyam.
During inspection, it also came to light that the sanitation complex was incomplete and modified internally to allow cooking.
The BRC officer said the teacher and block-level education staff were being show-caused for failing to inform the matter to higher authorities.
Officials said a probe was instituted to fix accountability and examine the role of local panchayat representatives in allowing such an arrangement to continue.
