EMN
Dimapur, April 28
Bags of ‘unsafe midday meal rice’ that were allegedly being fed to school children as part of the midday meal scheme (MDM) in Mokokchung town are said to have been disposed, of course, closely watched by local community groups. The ‘unsafe’ and ‘substandard’ rice, according to a local youth group, the Mokokchung Town Lanur Telongjem (MTLT), said on Thursday, April 28.
The rice was disposed in the presence of officials of the district administration, chief medical officer, Food Safety Officer, and Sub-Divisional Education Officer and members of the MTLT.
“Earlier the MTLT had requested the CMO, Mokokchung, that the MDM rice be sent for laboratory tests to confirm the state of the rice. Consequently, samples were sent for tests under the protocol of the Food Safety Officer, Mokokchung,” the organization stated in a press release on April 28.
“As per report no. 122/2016 issued by the State Public Health Laboratory on 11 April 2016, the rice is ‘sub-standard’ and ‘unsafe’ and the presence of ‘foreign matter, broken grains(damaged grains), weevilled (sic) grains’ was in exceeding percentage in comparison to the prescribed standards.”
Besides, the organization stated in its quoting the report, the rice was “heavily infested with insects, insect wastes presence of larva. As such, the MDM rice has been proven hazardous for human consumption.”
The ‘timely intimation’ and cooperation from various sections of the society besides prompt initiation “averted an impending catastrophe for innocent precious lives of the students,” the group stated. In addition, the “effectual action plan of the concerned departments has brought the matter to a good end.”
The youth organization assured that it would continue to be vigilant for the wellbeing of Mokokchung town.
