Balurghat, March 12 -- The midday meal programme in state-run schools across South Dinajpur district faces severe disruption due to an acute LPG cylinder shortage.

School authorities in urban and rural areas report difficulties cooking meals for students. They have informed the mid-day meal department, district administration and the Education Department. Banibrata Mukherjee, officer-in-charge of the mid-day meal department in South Dinajpur, said the administration is aware and taking steps.

"We are aware of the situation. Initiatives are being taken at the administrative level. We are in touch with the Additional District Magistrate and various LPG agencies to resolve the issue," he said.

The crisis hit Balurghat High School (HS) on Wednesday, where no cooked mid-day meal was served to Classes V to VIII students. Around 1,000 students usually receive it daily. Instead, authorities distributed dry food.

Headmaster Srijit Saha said: "Due to the lack of LPG cylinders, we could not serve cooked midday meals on Wednesday. Instead, we gave them fruits and cake. Later, we contacted the local administration and finally received two cylinders." He added: "The midday meal resumed on Thursday but we do not know what will happen on Friday. One cylinder is required every day and it has become very difficult to arrange them." He noted LPG agencies suggested commercial cylinders but the school cannot bear the extra cost.

At Badamail LP High School, Headmaster Asit Baran Lahiri said they informed the Education Department.

"We have told the authorities that if cylinders are unavailable, the mid-day meal cannot be served." He highlighted hostel issues: "Around 60 students stay in the hostel and they are also facing problems. We have decided to cook using firewood. A labourer has been asked to build a mud oven."

Nearly 500 students depend on the meal, requiring about four cylinders. Ashutosh Girls' High School Headmistress Pampa Das said they can continue for now. "We are still managing but LPG stock will last only two or three days. Around 800 students from Classes V to VIII depend on it and we need five cylinders weekly."

Balurghat LMAU High School teacher-in-charge Partha Pratim Dutta expressed concern: "The administration promised one cylinder daily. If not fulfilled, the programme stops. About 1,200 students rely on it, needing six cylinders daily."

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.