Saran tragedy could have been avoided: UNICEF

Patna,(BiharTimes): United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday said the lives of 22 school children in Saran district of Bihar could have been saved with strict adherence to rules for preparing the meal.

pic: Mohan Prasad

In a Press release UNICEF said it is in touch with the authorities concerned to understand what happened and find ways to prevent such incidents from taking place in future.

It acknowledged that India’s mid-day meal scheme is the largest school feeding programme in the world and that the government is working to strengthen and improve its management, UNICEF calls for increased urgent actions in this regard.

The UN agency noted that the protocols for adequate and safe preparation of the midday meal should be maintained. They include keeping the cooking place and utensils clean and free from insects and flies.

Besides, there should be adequate and safe storage space, and vegetables and other ingredients should be properly washed before cooking.