Maihar (Madhya Pradesh): The in-charge principal of a government-run school in Madhya Pradesh’s Maihar district has been suspended after students were served the mid-day meal on scraps of paper, including torn notebook pages, during Republic Day celebrations.
According to an official notification issued on Thursday night by Rewa Divisional Commissioner B.S. Jamod, the incident occurred due to the negligence of the school’s in-charge principal, Sunil Kumar Tripathi.
The order stated that Tripathi’s negligence led to disorder at the school and tarnished the image of the administration.
Following the incident, Tripathi was served a show-cause notice on January 27, directing him to submit his explanation within two days. However, he failed to respond within the stipulated time, the notification said.
“The investigation revealed that during the Republic Day function, children were served food on paper in the presence of the acting principal, Sunil Kumar Tripathi. Due to the negligence of the head of the institution, a highly deplorable incident occurred during a national festival,” the order read.
Tripathi, a high school teacher, was serving as the in-charge principal of the government school in Bhatigavan village of Maihar district.
“His actions demonstrate negligence and arbitrariness in the discharge of official duties. Therefore, Sunil Kumar Tripathi, in-charge principal, High School Bhatigavan, District Maihar, is hereby suspended with immediate effect,” the order added.
The incident came to light after a video went viral on social media showing children being served halwa and puri on scraps of waste paper and torn notebook pages during a special meal organised to mark the country’s 77th Republic Day.
Taking cognisance of the viral video and media reports, the Maihar district administration ordered an internal inquiry. Based on the investigation report submitted by District Project Coordinator Vishnu Tripathi, a proposal to suspend the in-charge principal was forwarded to the Rewa divisional commissioner.
Subsequently, the district administration directed education officials to enforce mid-day meal guidelines in all schools strictly and warned of strict action against any lapse affecting children’s health or dignity.
–IANS
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