BENGALURU: The scorching sun, especially in the afternoons, and the distance to the schools have put off many students from the mid-day meal programme even in the drought-hit taluks of North Karnataka.
In some taluks, parents have asked the school authorities not to cook lunch for their wards as their children won’t be present when the meal is being distributed. Such instances are more in North Karnataka districts where the mercury soars in the afternoon.
The state government had decided to to extend the mid-day meal scheme in schools even during the summer vacation in view of the prevailing drought conditions in many taluks.
A school development management committee (SDMC) member from a school in Jevargi taluk told Express, “We asked parents to send their children to school for lunch from April 11.
However, many said they will not send their children as it would be difficult for them to leave home in scorching heat.”
This is not just the case with Jevargi. Parents in drought-hit taluks of Kolar and Chikkaballapur too have the same concern. A teacher from a government school in Kolar district said, “There is nothing new about this. Even last year, the response was similar due to the heat.”