Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh): In the recent development, villagers thanked the journalist for bringing out the truth of salt and roti being served under the midday meal scheme at a government primary school in Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh.
After the video taken on August 22 grabbed headlines, the acting headmaster was suspended. But he local scribe Pawan Jaiswal – who shot the video of kids being fed the meagre diet – was also booked for criminal conspiracy and cheating along with Rajkumar Pal, a representative of the village head who had alerted the reporter about alleged wrongdoings in the scheme.
Reacting to the news of arrest, villagers expressed anger, most of whom questioned charges against the duo for “bringing out the truth”. Several parents and students said that using minimal rations to save costs was the norm in the school which has 97 students.
The fallout has been heaven-sent for the school though. Now fresh vegetables have been stocked in the kitchen. The chulha had been replaced with an LPG cylinder and stove. New toilets are being constructed and the school – which had remained without electricity for several years – finally has a new power connection. Amid scrutiny, schools in the vicinity have also made improvement in the meals they serve.
