Pubdate: Wed, 28 Jul 2004 Source: Central Chronicle (India) Copyright: 2004 Central Chronicle, Bhopal (India Contact: http://www.centralchronicle.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3429 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) LIQUOR, GANJA WITH MID DAY MEAL! SARAIPALI, (Chhatisgarh): In a sensational case, a headmaster and a teacher of a primary school here were suspended after they allegedly supplied liquor, bhang and ganja to primary students mixing with their mid day meal. Sub divisional magistrate Ashok Shrivastav, who had conducted an inquiry into the complaint, told UNI over telephone that he had found the headmaster and two other teachers of Chandibona primary school in Mahasamund district prima facie guilty of providing intoxicants to the primary school children. On the basis of inquiry report, district collector Manish Tyagi ordered suspension of headmaster Arakshit Patel and teachers Devadi Choudhary and Santlal Choudhary. As many as 92 students are studying in the Chandibona primary school. The matter came to administration's notice after some parents complained that their children were found to be regularly drowsy after returning from school. After questioning the children, the parents learned that they experienced drowsiness after having their mid day meal in the school. Suspecting foul play, the parents alerted the administration, which immediately ordered a magisterial inquiry into the matter. During inquiry, it has come to notice that the headmaster was a habitual drunkard and both the teachers also used to join him in consuming liquor even during school time. It also came to notice that all the three teachers used to consume other intoxicants like bhang and ganja. According to complaints, the teachers used to mix bhang and ganja and even liquor in the dal (pulses) to be supplied to students with the mid day meal. Meanwhile, official sources said in state capital Raipur that the state government has taken the issue very seriously and stern action would be initiated against the guilty. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin