COIMBATORE: For the past three weeks, students in Coimbatore have not been served Kesari, a sweet dish made with rava or semiya, under the CM’s breakfast scheme. Sources said it was discontinued without any reason being given, but remained in the menu app used by staff in charge of the scheme.
The scheme is implemented in 121 corporation primary and middle schools in Coimbatore, benefiting 12,900 children. When TNIE visited the corporation schools at Veerakeralam, Vadavalli and Edayarapalaym on Friday, Kesari was missing from the plates.
K Aruna (name changed), a teacher in the corporation middle school in West Zone. said, “As per the finalised menu, rava or semiya kesari should be served in addition to kichadi and sambhar on Fridays. Until three weeks ago, rava kesari was served. Now, only kichadi and sambhar are served. When I asked officers about it, they did not give any reason.”
K Saravanan, the teacher in another school, said, “The staff in charge of the scheme are making an entry in the app that they are serving rava kesari on Friday. But this is false information. Doubts arise as to whether there is any malpractice.”
An employee who serves food to students told TNIE, “Rava vegetable kichadi is served on Tuesday, and students don’t like to eat it again on Friday. Due to this, 50% of food is wasted.” She recalled that children used to long for Fridays and gobbled up the sweet.
When asked about it, corporation education officer J Mariyaselvam said the serving of sweets has been stopped as officers in Chennai are planning to change the menu. When contacted, Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation commissioner M Prathap said he was unaware of this matter. He claimed he CCMC did not issue orders to stop serving sweets, adding he would look into the issue.
Deputy Commissioner (Education) of Greater Chennai Corporation Saranya Ari told TNIE, “There was a discussion following feedback from children that they did not like eating sweets. Officers plan to provide sambar instead of the sweet. I am not sure whether the dish has been stopped in Chennai.” According to sources, rava kesari, kichadi and sambhar were served in Salem district on Friday.