Bungling of noon meal: Teachers taken to task

BHUBANESAR: The School and Mass Education Department has suspended headmistress of an upper primary school, held back salary of 15 teachers and issued show-cause notice to headmaster of another school for irregularities in MDM scheme implementation. Geeta Nayak, headmistress in-charge of the upper primary school in Rahania Radhe of Bhadrak district, has been suspended after departmental inquiry. The 15 teachers, whose salary has been stopped, are from Bhadrak, Ganjam, Balangir, Sundargarh and Jajpur districts.   According to a release from the Department, showcause has been issued to Prashant Kumar Jena, headmaster of the upper primary school in Panchapali Balarampur in Jagatsinghpur district, for alleged irregularities in the procurement of food items for the MDM. The Department had received 747 complaints through students helpline and grievance redressal cell on the implementation of MDM in schools. Investigations were conducted into 460 complaints and action has been taken against 37 teachers and employees.