The Chhattisgarh High Court has taken serious note of a shocking incident at the Pakela Residential Potacabin School in Sukma district, where vegetables meant for students were allegedly contaminated with phenyl. The court described the case as a “criminal act” that endangered the lives of children.
A Grave Concern for Student Safety
During the hearing of a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL), a division bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Datta Guru highlighted that even a single drop of phenyl can be fatal for humans, especially children. The court stressed that such incidents not only threaten students’ lives but also erode public trust in the safety of the school system. It further noted that if the 426 students had consumed the contaminated food, the consequences would have been devastating for their families.
Court Orders Comprehensive Measures
The bench has directed the Chief Secretary of Chhattisgarh to immediately implement strict food safety protocols across schools, hostels, and anganwadi centres. An affidavit detailing compliance with these measures must be filed by the next hearing on September 17, 2025.
Key directives include:
- Daily Food Tasting: Teachers must taste and certify meals daily, with records maintained in a register.
- Regular Inspections: Frequent kitchen checks and mandatory separation of food items from chemicals.
- Monitoring Officers: Appointment of district-level nodal officers to oversee food safety.
- CCTV Surveillance: Installation of cameras in kitchens and dining halls.
- Staff Training: Mandatory training on hygiene, safety, and emergency preparedness.
- Strict Action: Immediate FIR registration in cases of deliberate contamination.
- Parent-Teacher Committees: Involvement of parents in food monitoring.
- Emergency Support: First-aid kits, antidotes, and tie-ups with nearby PHCs/CHCs.
- Helpline & Reporting: A state-level helpline for complaints and mandatory reporting of all incidents to authorities.
- Independent Audits: Quarterly, half-yearly, and annual food safety audits.
Warning to Authorities
The court made it clear that negligence or lapses on the part of responsible authorities will not be tolerated. It emphasized the need for constant vigilance to ensure that children’s health and safety remain the top priority.
This incident has sparked a statewide call for improved monitoring of mid-day meals and hostel food schemes, ensuring that such life-threatening lapses are never repeated.
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