
SOP issued at Bhuban
The SOP focuses on creating awareness on drinking clean and safe water, not attending mass reception, eating cooked food, not taking bath in ponds and keeping house premises clean . The Health department officials are monitoring the situation in the NAC wards. People are discouraged from consuming stuff at fast food stalls. The District Food Safety officer is conducting surprise checks and destroying stale and unhygienic food at the fast food stalls and restaurants.
The Health administration is reviewing the situation in coordination with ground staff. Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer Sanjay Mohapatra said, 'We are watchful and now situation is under control.' The RWSS department officials are disinfecting water sources in Bhuban NAC.
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Hindustan Times
16 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
State issues new mid-day meal guidelines
In a significant step to enhance food safety in schools, the Maharashtra government has issued a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman Yojana. The SOPs aim to prevent incidents of food poisoning and lay out strict responsibilities for school authorities, teachers, cooks, education officers, and food safety departments to ensure that meals served to students from Classes 1 to 8 are hygienic, nutritious, and safe. A key provision mandates that headmasters or designated teachers must taste the cooked meal at least 30 minutes before it is served to students. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO) According to the new guidelines, school management committees (SMCs) must verify the quality and expiry dates of food supplies, including rice, oil, and spices, before accepting them from vendors. Grains must be stored above ground level in clean, pest-free environments. Drinking water tanks are to be cleaned regularly, and proper handwashing facilities with soap must be made available to all students. Meals must be prepared only in designated kitchen areas. A key provision mandates that headmasters or designated teachers must taste the cooked meal at least 30 minutes before it is served to students. If available, parents may also participate in this process. Feedback regarding the meal's taste, smell, and appearance must be recorded in an official register. Food is to be served only if it meets acceptable standards. Cooks and helpers involved in meal preparation are required to undergo medical check-ups every six months. They must wear clean clothing, keep their nails trimmed, and wash their hands with soap before cooking. Staff are also instructed to follow the 'first in, first out' method to ensure proper grain rotation and prevent mixing old and new supplies. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will oversee the implementation of food safety measures, conduct training sessions for school staff on hygienic food handling practices, and periodically test food and water samples from schools. In the event of a food poisoning incident, the SOP outlines a clear emergency response protocol. Affected students must be isolated and taken to the nearest healthcare facility without delay.


Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
Maharashtra govt issues SOP to curb food poisoning in mid-day meals
Mumbai: Due to a rising number of cases of food poisoning caused by mid-day meals, the government has decided to codify and compile all food preparation and storage rules for mid-day meals into a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). Checking of grains from suppliers, conducting regular health check-ups of cooks and staffers, and the preservation of a sample of the food served for 24 hours, as well as laboratory tests of food samples from randomly selected schools in each block every month, are among the various measures developed into an SOP. A senior education department official confirmed that after a number of food poisoning cases—like the recent one in Buldhana, where 13 tribal girls fell ill after eating a mid-day meal—the department issued a government resolution laying down the procedure precisely. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai The SOP specifies what each stakeholder should do to prevent food poisoning. The School Management Committee will be responsible for checking the quality of grains received from the supplier and ensuring regular health check-ups for cooks and support staff. A headmaster must taste each meal prior to serving it to students, checking for quality and taste. He will also be responsible for keeping a sample of the food served for 24 hours. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cardiologists: Teaspoon On an Empty Stomach Slims Waist from 36 To 22 Health Wellness Journal Learn more Undo Every Block Education Officer has to inspect the godowns where grain and other foodstuffs are stored every month. If a godown is found to be dirty, a fine of ₹50,000 will be levied, and a repeat offence will incur a fine of ₹1,00,000. The SOP also prohibits any food prepared outside the school from being served to children. Mahendra Ganpule, the former head of the Maharashtra School Principals' Association, drew attention to the lack of time a headmaster or teacher has to check the grain when a supplier delivers it: "We do not get time to check the grain properly. There should be at least 10 to 15 minutes provisioned for each school for the thorough checking of grain." The SOP also states the steps to be taken after an incident of food poisoning: isolate students showing symptoms and provide medical aid, inform the village head, police, and all competent authorities, collect and send food and water samples for testing, and if the lab reports confirm that food poisoning was caused by poor-quality materials, a criminal case should be filed against the supplier and payments withheld.


News18
18-07-2025
- News18
States ought to frame common over release of terminally ill prisoners: SC
Last Updated: New Delhi, Jul 18 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday said prison rules were applicable individually to states, which ought to frame common rules on the release of terminally ill prisoners. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta reserved its order on a plea of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) seeking the release of a group of either terminally ill prisoners or those above 70 from jail. The Centre claimed of framing a standard operating procedure (SoP) on the issue and the same being on record. The bench, however, noted, 'Ultimately, the prison rules are all applicable individually to the states. All states have to come out with a common prison rules wherein this consideration for terminally ill for their release, that has to be there." Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, said the government was concerned about terminally ill prisoners and all states and union territories were advised in the SoP to take steps for the effective management of such inmates. The government said the states or union territories might also consider the release of such prisoners as a part of 'general amnesty". The bench, flagging the 'possibility of misuse", observed there had to be guidelines on the standard to treat such prisoners and who were entitled to the benefit of the release. The petitioner's counsel referred to NALSA's SoP and said, 'We have defined who should be considered under the terminally ill category and it would be certified by the medical officer of the jail concerned." The bench then remarked, 'Identification is different, but the certification is where the catch is. There is a huge possibility of misuse." Bhati said the Centre's SoP contemplates a medical board to be set up for this. The law officer, who was also appearing for the Delhi government, said there was a prisoner who was suffering from asthma since 1985. The NALSA's counsel said in Kerala, there was a 94-year-old prisoner. The bench also deliberated on prisoners awarded life imprisonment till their natural lives. 'There are end number of convicts in the Jaipur Central Jail who have been convicted for bomb blast cases… One of them probably expired a few months back. He was a doctor, 104 years," Justice Mehta observed. The Uttar Pradesh counsel said the state, in its policy framed in 2018, incorporated certain specific clauses for the terminally ill, providing for a medical board to be set up. On May 5, the top court sought responses from the Centre and 18 states, including Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, on the plea. These prisoners, who have not come to the top court against denial of bail, require special care but it may not be possible for jail authorities to provide in view of the overcrowding in prisons, the plea said. NALSA said these elderly and terminally ill prisoners were incarcerated in several states including Bihar, Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Odisha. The NALSA's counsel had referred to data and said many terminally ill persons, whose convictions were upheld by various high courts, were unable to move the apex court to challenge their convictions and seek bail or suspension of sentence and the matter needed an intervention. The plea urged the top court to issue directions to facilitate the release of prisoners aged above 70 years and those suffering from terminal illnesses. NALSA said as of December 31, 2022, India's prison occupancy rate stood at 131 per cent, severely straining infrastructure and impacting the quality of medical care and dignified living conditions within jails. PTI ABA ABA AMK AMK view comments First Published: July 18, 2025, 15:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.