The decision to extend winter holidays in Punjab, intended as a shield against the severe cold wave, has triggered an unintended consequence: a deepening nutritional crisis for the state's most vulnerable children. While families welcome the respite from the biting chill, thousands of students from economically weaker sections are paying a heavy price, losing their only guaranteed daily meal.
Schools Shut, Hunger Pangs Rise
For countless children of daily wage labourers attending government schools, the mid-day meal scheme is not just a supplement but their primary source of nutrition. With classrooms now shuttered, this critical safety net has vanished. The closure means these children are left without supervised care or food for up to ten hours daily while their parents are away at work.
The academic calendar has faced repeated disruptions due to the cold. Winter holidays initially ran from December 25 to January 1. They were first extended until January 7, and then again until January 13. All government, aided, and private schools are now scheduled to reopen on January 14.
"Our parents are labourers and only return in the evening," shared a student from Ludhiana. "When school was open, we had breakfast at home and lunch at school. Now, we often have to wait until the evening when our parents come back to eat." This extended break places an unexpected financial burden on families already struggling to meet basic needs, forcing them to provide extra meals previously subsidised by the state.
Calls for Emergency "Covid-Era" Measures
The growing crisis has sparked urgent calls for government intervention, with demands to revive measures last seen during the pandemic. During Covid-19 lockdowns, dry rations or prepared meals were delivered directly to students' homes to bridge the nutritional gap during prolonged school closures.
Manoj Kumar, Ludhiana's Deputy District Education Officer (Elementary), acknowledged the challenge. He stated, "During the pandemic, supplies were sent to the homes of students in need. We do not currently do this during summer or winter breaks, but if we receive specific directions and orders from the government, we are prepared to implement it again."
Local authorities are currently awaiting a mandate from the state government to initiate any such relief measures. As the debate continues, the core question remains unresolved: how to protect students from the harsh cold without compromising their fundamental right to basic nutrition.
