The Chhattisgarh High Court has taken strong exception to reports of schoolchildren being served food contaminated by stray dogs under the mid-day meal scheme in Balodabazar district. Terming the incident “extremely serious,” Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha directed the state government to pay Rs 25,000 compensation to each of the 84 affected children within one month.
During the hearing, the bench noted the sensitivity of the matter and emphasised that the state must ensure the health and dignity of schoolchildren. The court also ordered mandatory anti-rabies vaccination for all 84 students who had consumed the contaminated meal. “The state bears a duty of care towards children. Incidents of this nature cannot be repeated,” Chief Justice Sinha observed.
The case stems from media reports published on August 3, which claimed that on July 28, at a government middle school in Lachhanpur village, Palari block, students were served food already licked by stray dogs. Following protests by parents and a school committee meeting, 83 students were administered two doses of the anti-rabies vaccine. However, reports varied, with some sources noting 78 vaccinations while others cited 83.
In its earlier hearing, the court had directed the Education Secretary to file a personal affidavit. After reviewing the affidavit, the High Court directed the state to put in place strict preventive measures. “Authorities must ensure proper monitoring of mid-day meals and take accountability to prevent recurrence,” the order stated.
The ruling is one of the strongest judicial interventions in the state’s mid-day meal programme, underscoring both the rights of children and the obligation of the government to ensure safe nutrition in schools.