Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, June 21: It may sound shocking for the hapless and poor parents sending their children to the Anganwadi Centres that their wards are being provided sub-standard nutrition/ food items in majority of such centers across the State.
Though this practice was said to be going on for the last many years, yet the startling revelations have come to the light after 15 food/ nutrition samples lifted by the Drug and Food Control Organisation team in presence of Minister for Social Welfare and Forests Bali Bhagat recently in various districts of Kashmir including Srinagar, Ganderbal, Pulwama, Budgam and Uri in Baramulla, were proved to be highly sub-standard. Some of the items including edible oil, have been found mis-branded.
Sources in the Drug and Food Control Organisation disclosed that a total 15 samples of sugar, suji, iodised salt, channa, dhalia, moong, edible oil etc were taken from Nagam, Budgam, Pampore, Srinagar, Kangan, Uri and various other places of Kashmir in presence of Magistrate and independent witnesses by the team. The main district stores of Srinagar and Ganderbal were also raided by the team during the operation and two samples of each item were lifted.
All the samples lifted from these Anganwadi stores and centers have failed to qualify the standards. Even the Iodised salt and edible oil samples have also been proved misbranded. The analytical report in possession of Excelsior vide its No. PA/K/Eslb/2015/23 dated 21-5-2015 has exposed the functioning of the ICDS ( Integrated Child Development Scheme) of the Social Welfare Department, indicating that all is not well within the department.
It is more shocking to note that most of the medicine samples lifted in Jammu as well as in Srinagar have also failed to qualify the standards. Despite this fact, the department is continuing to play with the lives of thousands of these children of the lesser God. The consumption of such sub-standard medicines is more harmful for the health of the children which the department has recently purchased at its own without involving district level purchase committees or the concerned CMOs, who are also the members.
It is highly interesting to observe that hardly two months back, most of the food/ nutrition/ edible oil samples lifted by Drug and Food Control organization in district Samba were found sub-standard but in district Jammu most of these samples lifted in presence of the Minister concerned (SWD) by the team from Drug and Food Control Organisation, were declared conforming to the standards prescribed by the Food Analyst and the Assistant Controller Food (JMC) Jammu Sanjeev Gupta. The Drug analyst however, disclosed that medicines samples lifted from the Anganwadi Centres and district store were however, found sub-standard. Even the Minister also confirmed it. Most of the brands lifted in Samba and Jammu districts were almost same and the suppliers as well, but analysis reports have raised point of suspicion among the general public about the credibility of the two different report samples and the over all functioning.
Minister for Social Welfare, Bali Bhagat when asked whether he was satisfied with the sample reports lifted in Jammu and forwarded to his office and Directorate of ICDS J&K, said that when the samples were lifted in his presence from Roopnagar office of ICDS another Project office and two Anganwadi Centres in Jammu west, even from the first sight and physical analysis by a common man it was clearly observed that moong dal, suji, sugar, grams and sewian etc were of very poor quality.
It was surprising and rather shocking to observe that all the items were found conforming to the standards. “It seems to be something fishy. We are keenly observing and very shortly, the things would come to the notice of general public after the reports of some parallel samples taken of these items will be received by him shortly,” Mr Bhagat said.
When asked what action he is going to take against the erring officials and members of the Purchase Committees of various districts including Dy Commissioners being chairman for sub-standard supply to the Anganwadi Centres, the Minister said this practice was going on for the last many years. There exists an old and unholy nexus between the SWD/ICDS officials, members of the Purchase Committee and the suppliers. It has been exposed for the first time. The matter has been discussed with the Chief Minister and shortly a committee is being framed to recommend action against these officials.
Mission Director ICDS (Integrated Child Development Scheme) Mukhtar ul-Aziz, however said that the items which failed to qualify the prescribed standards have been withdrawn from various Anganwadi Centres in district Samba. Similar instructions were given to the CDPOs in other parts of Kashmir valley after the items were found sub-standard. He said there are district level purchase committees and they are authorised to select the standard items. If the suppliers have shown dishonesty at the time of supplies, they will be black listed.
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