Visakhapatnam: Tribal students belonging to mandal parishad schools in Pinakota panchayat of Alluri Sita Ramaraju district protested with mud on their plates demanding that the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) release their mid-day meal rice, so that they would not go hungry.
According to Puthuku Puttu MPP School Education Committee president Madala Kondababu, 17 mandal parishad schools, including their school in Jagadala Mamidi village of Kiverla panchayat in Anantagiri mandal and those in Jhidimettu and Bonuru villages in Pinakota panchayat of Alluri Sita Ramaraju district have not received the mid-day meal rice for the past three months.
Kondababu said despite the existence of organisations like ITDA, students of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) are not able to have their meals due to irregularities in supply of midday meal rice. Despite the PVTG students complaining to ITDA project officer (PO) Abhishek, the situation has not improved.
When contacted, the ITDA PO said he has deputed mandal revenue officer Sankara Rao to check the ground reality.
