Chhattisgarh High Court Orders State To Pay ₹25K To Each Student Fed 'Dog-Licked' Meal In Govt School

The Chhattisgarh High Court has directed the State Government to pay compensation worth Rs.25000/- to every student of Government Middle School, Lachchhanpur, who consumed mid-day meal licked by a dog.The Court had earlier taken suo-motu cognizance of an August 3 news-report published in a Hindi daily, which reported that students had allegedly been served dog soiled meals in the school by a self-help group.In this regard, a Division Bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Datta Guru observed,“Considering the fact that it was an institution of the Government and self help group was assigned to provide mid-day meal, but the said mid-day meal was soiled by the dog and it was unfit for consumption for the students of the school and though three doses of anti-rabies has been administered to 84 children of the school, it was negligent on the part of the State to take care that the food which was being offered in the mid-day meal by the self help group to the children of Middle School, we deem it proper that Rs.25,000/- be paid by the State to each of the student of the concerned Middle School, who had consumed the said meal, within a period of one month from today.”BackgroundThe Joint Secretary informed the Court that the Report of a two-member committee consisting of the Sub-Divisional Officer (Revenue) and Block Education Officer, which was constituted to enquire into the incident, revealed that the self-help group which was responsible for serving the contaminated food despite complaints from the Headmaster and teachers, was not only removed from the work of mid-day meal distribution but was also barred from any further governmental benefits. Additionally, the Incharge Principal, Cluster Principal, Incharge Headmaster and Teachers and Cluster Coodinator of the school had also been suspended. Additionally, the Director, Education, had also imposed a minor penalty on three teachers.Further, the Report revealed that the Collector, Balodabazar, had issued certain directions to be followed in the preparation and distribution of mid-day meals in schools, whereby it was instructed that—kitchen shed should be fenced,bleaching powder should be used in the kitchen shed twice a week,items used in meals should be quality checked and clean,Headmaster/Teachers should compulsorily get students hand-washed before meals,parents should be made to watch preparation and distribution of meals, andaction be taken against the Self Help Group not maintaining the desired quality meals.The Report further revealed that the Directorate of School Education issued state-wide guidelines directing District Education Officers to maintain cleanliness and hygiene in food preparation, conduct food safety and quality checks and ensure adherence to food standards prescribed in the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman Yojna.The Court was also informed that the State Government had urged the Center for revising prices of food items in the Anganwadi Center, however, seven months had passed and no reply was received from the Central Government.Accordingly, the Court impleaded the Secretary, Ministry of Women & Child Development, as a party/respondent and allowed a week's time to inform the Court regarding the steps taken by the Union in that regard.The matter is now listed on 17.09.2025.Case Details:Case Number: WPPIL No. 75 of 2023Case Title: In The Matter Of Suo Moto Public Interest Litigation v. The Chief Secretary & Others Click Here To Read/Download Order

Chhattisgarh High Court Orders State To Pay ₹25K To Each Student Fed 'Dog-Licked' Meal In Govt School

Saahas Arora

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