Food For Anganwadi Children Cooked Inside Toilet In MP, Minister Feels There's 'Nothing Wrong'

It seems that for every step forward India takes in the name of progress, it ends up taking 10 steps back at the same time. Shocking news of how food for Anganwadi children was being prepared in MP surfaced recently after ANI tweeted:

'Toilet of an Anganwadi centre in Karera, Shivpuri being used as a makeshift kitchen.District Officer,Women&Child programme says "A self help group had taken control of toilet & were using it as a kitchen.'

There was plenty of outrage that this bit of news garnered. Sadly, controversies surrounding the midday meal scheme in India are plenty. Lizards been reportedly been found in food. Not just that, there were reports of even expired food products being cooked and served.

It's a sad reflection of immense failure on the part of the government that has yet to pay close attention to the quality of food that's being served to children as part of the scheme, because the whole point was to let these kids benefit from it, not collect more misery.

Madhya Pradesh: Toilet of an Anganwadi centre in Karera, Shivpuri being used as a makeshift kitchen. District Officer,Women&Child programme says "A self help group had taken control of toilet & were using it as a kitchen. Action being taken against Anganwadi supervisor & workers" pic.twitter.com/b9IwO1zlSk

¡ª ANI (@ANI) July 23, 2019

But that's not all. A day after the news broke, Minister for Woman and Child Development, Imarti Devi, gave a statement that was as appalling as the food served to Anganwadi kids. When asked to comment on a toilet being used as a makeshift kitchen, she reportedly said, "there is nothing wrong in cooking inside a toilet."

"You should understand that if a partition exists between a toilet and kitchen, there is nothing wrong in preparing food. These days, even in our homes we have attached bathroom," she went on.

Sure, we have attached bathrooms but none of us are forced to cook inside it. The problem remains: cooking food inside a toilet and then serving it to little children. In what world will that ever be okay?

This the case across India... go to the rural areas and u will find many such examples

¡ª Shumir Oliver (@Shumir_Oliver) July 24, 2019

All these officers in govt deptt. just grab the job in rural areas and do nothing, they just ensure salary is being regularly cr. in their a/c. They got such a huge amount but do nothing... at least just make sure govt. schemes are operating effectively.

¡ª Ankur Agrawal (@ankuragrawal248) July 23, 2019

The Silankar Pokhar village in Shivpuri district is located about 350 km from Bhopal. An inquiry was ordered when this situation came to light.

The food being prepared in the shochalaya was for over 50 children. Local reporters reportedly visited the anganvadi and found that kitchen material that is used to prepare food was kept on the toilet seat and the food was being prepared at a little distance in the same toilet.

Women and child development officer, Shivpuri Devendra reportedly said, "A self-help group had taken control of the toilet and was using it as a temporary kitchen. Action is being taken against the anganwadi supervisor and workers involved."

What is shocking is the indifference of the minister and an utter lack of concern for the health of these kids and workers. Strict action should be taken not only against the group members but also such ministers who take hygiene and health of little school children for granted.