Where mobile courts are not active

Students take food from a mobile shop in front of Dr Khastagir (Govt) Girls High School. PHOTO: STAR

The teachers and guardians expressed concern and urged the authorities for immediate action against the freestyle selling of these unsafe food items in front of the school gates or on the premises.

The mobile vendors sell so-called mouth-watering chatpaty, fuchka, chop, chips, different types of pickles (achar), singara, samucha and ice-cream in open spaces, bothering little with the fact that dirt and 'unwanted' germs can easily collect in these foods.

School going children, mainly the students of primary and secondary schools, frequently take these adulterated foods, which cause different types of diseases.

Lipi Das Gupta, a student of class nine of Dr Khastagir Girls High School, was taking such kind of chatpati on the footpath in front of her school in the presence of her mother.

When asked her mother said Lipi takes chatpati very often.

"I don't give her anything for tiffin because the school provides it," the mother said. She, however, said these open foods are not good for health.

Chandni and Choity, students of class ten, were quite aware of the bad affect of these 'popular' items. They urged the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) mobile court to launch immediate drive against the mobile vendors in and around different city schools.

"It is hard for minor students to resist the temptation once these foods come to their sight. It would be better not to allow the vendors in front of the schools," they added.

Sharmin Akhter, a guardian of St. Mary's School, said she had to buy some achar or chocolate everyday for her son, a student of class two. "He creates an unexpected scene on the street if I don't oblige to his request," Sharmin said.

Moin Bhai is a popular name to the students of Chittagong Collegiate School for his decade-old van-shop named "Choice." He sells his 'famous' chatpati and ice-juice from the mobile shop.

He showed a large register (writing pad) where the names and signatures of the former students of the school are preserved, who recommended his chatpati positively.

Although Moni Bhai claims his items are safe and hygienic, the reality gives rather reverse impression. This correspondent found that flies were flitting over his uncovered chatpati. Moreover, he washes the dishes in dirty water throughout the day and never feels the necessity to change the water.

The scenario is common in most of the schools in the city. The school authorities expressed their inability to take action against these vendors.

"The vendors sell those foods outside the school compound, so how can we resist them," they said.

Headmistress of Dr. Khastagir Girl's High School Hasmat Jahan said they do not let their girls go out of the school as they keep the gate closed during the school hour and the tiffin period.

She said the students might have bought those food items during the break between the morning shift and the day shift.

"We have no authority to control the vendors outside the school compound. We request the police to take action against the vendors and they take action accordingly but the vendors return to their business after police action as usual," Hasmat Jahan said.

She said mobile court action is needed to stop such selling in front of the city schools.

Md.Aziz Uddin, Headmaster of Chittagong Collegiate School, echoed the sentiment.

When contacted CCC magistrate Shafiqur Rahman said the vendors are mostly poor and it is usually their only source of living. "So, its very difficult to drive them out although we are quite aware of these unsafe foods causing serious health hazards to the students," he said.

Shafiq, however, said they will take initiatives to stop the selling of such foods in and around school premises.