Velliyamattom: Schoolchildren from the tribal community in Velliyamattom, Idukki, have been left without their vital morning meals after a government-funded breakfast scheme was halted six months ago. The scheme, which had been providing breakfast to children at the Poomala Tribal School and other local schools, has been a lifeline for many students who come from poverty-stricken families, often travelling long distances on foot to attend school.

One of the Class 6 student, from a tribal background, wrote a letter to the Panchayat President, expressing her hardship: "We don't get food at home in the morning. Getting food at school was a huge relief." The letter, a heartfelt plea from the young girl, highlights the difficulties faced by the children of the tribal community who rely on the "Amritham" breakfast scheme.

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The scheme, which had been running successfully for several years, provided breakfast to tribal children up to the Class 7. However, since June, the programme has been suspended due to a lack of funding, leaving 108 children at the Poomala Tribal School without any morning meals. The children, many of whom come from remote tribal villages, often arrive at school hungry, and for some, the meal provided by the scheme was their only source of nourishment before the school day began.

Panchayat President Mohandas Puthussery expressed his deep concern, stating that the suspension of the breakfast scheme is one of the most distressing issues he has faced in his public service career. He explained that the local Panchayat lacks its own funds to support the programme, and the state government has not provided the necessary funding. "Unless we receive government support, we won't be able to restart the scheme. This issue will be brought to the attention of the Human Rights Commission and the Child Rights Commission," he said.

The tribal areas of Velliyamattom are home to several schools, including those in Poomala, Poochapra, Naliyani, and Karippalangad, which collectively cater to around 200 tribal students. While the breakfast programme continues in other schools with the support of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), the suspension in Poomala has highlighted the vulnerabilities of these remote communities.

Many of the children, often from the most impoverished families, have been forced to go without food. The suspension of the programme has left them struggling to cope with both hunger and their academic commitments.