A one-day strike called by mid-day meal workers over their pending demands on Tuesday has cast uncertainty over meal arrangements at government schools across Ludhiana.
school heads say they have little clarity on how the meals will be managed While the education department says alternative arrangements will be made.
At the school level, the lack of clarity has left principals and teachers considering last-minute alternatives. This is not the first time schools have faced disruption during protests by mid-day meal workers. In July, on the first day after summer vacations, several government schools had to make last-minute arrangements after cook-cum-helpers stayed away from work during a statewide protest. Some schools hired substitute cooks or persuaded regular workers to prepare meals, while one government primary school served samosas to students after failing to find a replacement.
Charanjeet Kaur Ahuja, principal of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Cemetery Road, said the school had not received any information about the strike. “If the workers remain absent, we will seek help from mothers of students living nearby to prepare the meals,” she said. Sukhdhir Singh Sekhon, head teacher of Government Primary School, Moti Nagar, said the school hoped at least some workers would remain available. “We hope that not all workers go on strike, as running a school is all about teamwork,” he said. Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, officiating head of Government Senior Secondary School, Dhanansu, said the school was unsure how meals would be arranged in the absence of the workers.
