Food poisoning: Telangana’s government schools struggle to serve quality meals as fund delays persist

Despite forming committees to monitor food quality, Telangana continues to witness food poisoning cases in government schools and hostels. Midday meal workers cite limited budgets and delayed payments, while critics accuse the Congress government of neglecting students’ safety and welfare

Hyderabad: The Congress government, which boasts about laying the foundation for integrated residential schools and even a Young India Police School, has failed to provide quality food for students in government schools and hostels.

Like last year, incidents of students being hospitalised due to food poisoning have become a regular occurrence this year as well. Cases are being reported from across the State, and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s home district of Mahabubnagar is no exception. Incidentally, he also holds the Education portfolio. Midday meal workers admit it has become challenging to maintain quality with limited budgets and inordinate delays in clearing bills, which they say directly affect the food served to children.

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In November last year, three food poisoning cases were reported within ten days in Narayanpet. Around 30 students fell sick after eating midday meals at Zilla Parishad High School, Magnoor. However, officials blamed snacks brought by students from outside the campus for the incident.

Similarly, 33 students of KGBV Neradigonda, Adilabad, suffered from a food-related outbreak. After battling for 20 days, 14-year-old student C Shailaja died due to food poisoning. She was one among several students at the KGBV in Wankidi mandal of Kumram Bheem Asifabad district.

In an attempt to cover up the government’s failures, Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister D Anasuya had last year accused the opposition parties, particularly the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, of orchestrating food poisoning incidents in government-run schools and hostels.

However, facing widespread criticism, the Congress government decided to constitute a Task Force Committee and an institution-level Food Safety Committee. These bodies were entrusted with monitoring food preparation and serving to prevent contamination and food-borne illness. Members were directed to inspect kitchens, check the quality of vegetables and ingredients, and maintain inspection records. Specific menus were finalised, and school managements were instructed to follow them.

But these instructions are seldom followed by officials, and there are complaints that in several schools and colleges, the committees have not even been constituted.

During the Teachers’ Day celebrations this year, the Chief Minister had urged teachers and elected representatives to have lunch with students regularly to ensure quality food was served. He had also promised to visit schools and share meals with students. All these assurances have remained mere statements, with little action at the ground level.

Even as many students continue to fall sick due to food poisoning in government schools and hostels, the Congress government continues to focus on establishing integrated residential schools. These are being set up on 25 acres in each of the 119 constituencies with a financial outlay of Rs.5,000 crore, with foundation stones laid in October last year.

There have been instances, such as in August this year, when midday meal workers staged protests demanding salaries and unpaid dues. The workers had complained that it was difficult for them to maintain food quality due to limited budgets and delayed payments, an issue that continues to persist.