Noon meal eggs with TN govt seal sold in Chennai markets
Yogesh.Kabirdoss@timesgroup.com
Chennai 08.06.2018
: Eggs meant for supply to children at noon meal centres and the integrated child development services (ICDS) scheme are being pilfered and sold in the open market and retail shops.
Asked about eggs bearing the blue Tamil Nadu government seal surfacing in neighbourhood grocery shops, officials dismissed it as a mere ‘diversion’ from one of the centres but activists said it could be the tip of a well-oiled scam.
TOI accessed an egg bearing the seal of the TN government on the shell. The egg, with a half seal in blue (inset), was sold at a shop in Saidapet. Another egg also had an impression but the seal was absent. The shopkeeper who sold the egg told TOI he had procured it from a wholesale shop in the locality.
When contacted, officials in the social welfare and nutritious meal programme department said it could be due to diversion from a particular centre.
Eggs reaching market for sale illegal: Official
A official said, “So far, we have not received any complaint regarding such illegal activities. But an inquiry would be conducted.” Irrespective of the size of the seal, the egg should have not reached the market for sale, the official added.
To prevent illegal diversion and to avoid old eggs from being served, the government has a colour scheme wherein seals on eggs come in blue, green and red colours. The eggs were meant for anganwadi centres. The government procures eggs largely from poultry farms in Namakkal and bidders should supply eggs directly to schools and anganwadis.
M Andrew Sesuraj, convenor of Tamil Nadu Child Rights Observatory (TNCRO), said pilferage could happen at two levels. “First, a section of helpers at the anganwadis take away the eggs remaining due to absence of registered children. Another is, distributors who account for a certain number of eggs as breakage during transportation and sell them outside for a lower price,” he said. Large distributors even wipe out the seal using chemicals before sale, he said.
Yogesh.Kabirdoss@timesgroup.com
Chennai 08.06.2018
: Eggs meant for supply to children at noon meal centres and the integrated child development services (ICDS) scheme are being pilfered and sold in the open market and retail shops.
Asked about eggs bearing the blue Tamil Nadu government seal surfacing in neighbourhood grocery shops, officials dismissed it as a mere ‘diversion’ from one of the centres but activists said it could be the tip of a well-oiled scam.
TOI accessed an egg bearing the seal of the TN government on the shell. The egg, with a half seal in blue (inset), was sold at a shop in Saidapet. Another egg also had an impression but the seal was absent. The shopkeeper who sold the egg told TOI he had procured it from a wholesale shop in the locality.
When contacted, officials in the social welfare and nutritious meal programme department said it could be due to diversion from a particular centre.
Eggs reaching market for sale illegal: Official
A official said, “So far, we have not received any complaint regarding such illegal activities. But an inquiry would be conducted.” Irrespective of the size of the seal, the egg should have not reached the market for sale, the official added.
To prevent illegal diversion and to avoid old eggs from being served, the government has a colour scheme wherein seals on eggs come in blue, green and red colours. The eggs were meant for anganwadi centres. The government procures eggs largely from poultry farms in Namakkal and bidders should supply eggs directly to schools and anganwadis.
M Andrew Sesuraj, convenor of Tamil Nadu Child Rights Observatory (TNCRO), said pilferage could happen at two levels. “First, a section of helpers at the anganwadis take away the eggs remaining due to absence of registered children. Another is, distributors who account for a certain number of eggs as breakage during transportation and sell them outside for a lower price,” he said. Large distributors even wipe out the seal using chemicals before sale, he said.
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