Explain how you will compensate kids over midday meals: HC to govt

BENGALURU: Terming the act of not providing midday meals to children from June 1 a serious lapse by the state, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday directed the authorities to explain in what manner and what time each student will be compensated. It directed the Secretary responsible for the implementation of the National Food Security Act in the state to file an affidavit in this regard.

A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar passed the order after hearing a batch of public interest litigations in relation to issues that arose due to Covid-19. “Considering the default, the state has to give an assurance by November 17,” the bench ordered. Recalling the court’s concern over not providing midday meals to children up to the age of 14 years on the last date of hearing, the bench said that the state has filed the statement candidly admitting that it has not supplied meals after May 31 as Anganawadis and schools are closed due to Covid-19.

Recording the submission of Clifton Rozario, advocate representing the People’s Union for Civil Liberties, that the children will have to be compensated considering the provisions of the Act and Midday Meal Rules, the bench said that such a lapse amounts to violation of the rights of the children under the Constitution. The bench also directed the Secretary to give the steps taken to implement the provisions of the Act in relation to benefits to be provided to pregnant women and lactating mothers under the Integrated Child Development Scheme.