VIRUDHUNAGAR: Unidentified persons have mixed cow dung in the water used for preparing breakfast for students at the Panchayat Union Middle School in Chinnamoopanpatti, not once but at least three times recently. This comes in the wake of the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme being expanded to all districts across the state two weeks ago.
According to sources, over 200 children study in Classes 1 to 8 at the middle school, with 123 students in primary classes eligible for the breakfast scheme.
“A 500-litre water tank was set up in an empty space near the school’s kitchen a few days before the scheme was rolled out, using panchayat funds. Two members of women SHG were also assigned work of cooking the meal between 5.45 am and 7.30 am daily,” sources said.
Villagers said a cook usually checks the water in the tank before cooking. “Last week, one of the cooks found cow dung in the tank twice and suspected that it must have been done by the students. However, on Wednesday evening (on Krishna Jayanthi holiday), a cook went to check the water tank and again found cow dung in it,” sources said.
On the condition of anonymity, one of the villagers, who lives near the school said she often sees youngsters entering the school premises. “But I don’t know who did this inhumane act. Since the school compound wall is short, and the gate is damaged, it is easy for outsiders to enter the school,” she said.
Officials from the revenue department said when the incident came to light on Wednesday, the water tank was emptied and cleaned and the pipe was locked up so that students wouldn’t use it. “To avoid such occurrences in the future, measures are being taken to relocate the tank into the kitchen, construct a door for the kitchen, and keep it locked when not in use,” an official said, adding that the school gate will be repaired soon.
Meanwhile, the breakfast for students was prepared using water sourced from outside on Thursday.
Virudhunagar West Police have registered a case and commenced an investigation. A senior official from the district administration claimed, “Preliminary inquiries revealed that some mischievous students from the school had committed the act.”