3 weeks ago
Boiler Glitch Disrupts Mid-Day Meals At 30 North Kolkata Schools
A big kitchen that makes free lunch for school children in Kolkata had a problem with one of its machines.
The machine, called a boiler, makes steam that cooks huge pots of food.
When it broke, the kitchen could not cook lunch for about 30 schools.
Those children did not get their mid-day meal that day.
The people who run the kitchen said they were very sorry.
They asked the schools to give the children some dry food instead.
They promised to pay the schools back for the cost of that food.
The kitchen workers hoped the boiler would be fixed by the next day.
Many of the children come from families that really need this free meal.
Everyone hoped the meals would start flowing again soon.
Around 30 schools in north Kolkata did not receive mid-day meals on Wednesday after a boiler malfunction at an Annamrita Foundation kitchen.
The Iskcon-affiliated foundation supplies cooked meals to about 340 institutions in north Calcutta, with affected schools falling under the Bagbazar circle.
The faulty boiler disrupted the steam supply used to cook food in metal pots; officials expected the issue to be resolved before Thursday's distribution.
The foundation asked affected schools to provide children with dry food for the day and promised to reimburse the cost.
Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari launched the Iskcon-cooked mid-day meal programme for government and government-aided schools in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) area on Saturday.
- Who
- Students at around 30 government and government-aided schools in north Kolkata, the Iskcon-affiliated Annamrita Foundation, and foundation official Ashok Biswas
- What
- Mid-day meals were cancelled after a boiler malfunction at the Annamrita Foundation's cooking kitchen, with schools urged to provide dry food instead
- Where
- North Kolkata, under the Bagbazar circle within the Kolkata Municipal Corporation area
- When
- Wednesday, following the launch of the meal programme the previous Saturday
- Why
- An unexpected boiler failure disrupted the steam supply used for cooking, preventing meal production for the day
Key facts
- Affected schools
- Around 30 in north Kolkata (Bagbazar circle)
- Schools served by foundation
- Around 340 in north Calcutta
- Cause
- Boiler malfunction at Annamrita Foundation kitchen
- Operator
- Annamrita Foundation (Iskcon-affiliated)
- Programme area
- Government and government-aided schools in KMC area
- Launch
- Launched by chief minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday
- Expected resolution
- Before Thursday's meal distribution
- Named affected schools
- Belgachia Manohar Academy, Ultadanga United Girls' High School, Shilpakala Boys' Shiksha Mandir
Quotes
Annamrita Foundation Representative
Official of the Annamrita Foundation overseeing meal distribution
“We had to face the guardians’ anger. Hopefully, the situation will improve by Thursday. Many of our students come from underprivileged families, and the mid‑day meal is something they look forward to every day.”
telegraphindia.com
“Due to an unexpected failure of our boiler cooking system, we regret that we will not be able to deliver today’s mid‑day meal.”
telegraphindia.com
Ashok Biswas
Head of food distribution for north Calcutta at Annamrita Foundation
“The boiler generates steam, which is supplied through pipes to the metal cooking pots. The malfunction disrupted cooking for some of the schools. We expect the problem to be resolved before Thursday’s distribution.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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