Issuing notice to the State on a plea that sought for a direction to the government to get proactive and ensure door-to-delivery of noon meal that the children have been missing, the first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy directed the State government to bestow its immediate attention on the issue, as failure to provide nutritious food would expose the children to poor nutritional levels.

Even as it acknowledged the logistical and practical difficulties in undertaking such an exercise, the bench said, “There is no doubt that aggressive steps are to be taken to ensure that the children are well fed and nourished, especially when loss of jobs and less resources being available owing to pandemic and business not being normal. “While it may be easier for the State to get the Corporation or Municipality to organise distribution of food and nourishment in urban and semi-urban areas, the difficulties may come up in rural areas. Panchayats and NGOs may be roped in to provide food and nourishment in the rural areas which may have suffered more during the pandemic,” the bench added.

The bench then posted the plea to July 7 for further hearing for the government to indicate its initial response and the roadmap to ensure that the children did not suffer owing to lack of food, particularly among the most vulnerable, without delay.

The plea had sought for a direction to the government to ensure that the children got food and nutritional content as per the National Food Security Act, 2013.