Officials under fire for poor supervision of Ashram hostels in Mancherial

Parents have criticised tribal welfare officials in Mancherial for failing to maintain hygiene and safety in Ashram hostels, where frequent food poisoning incidents have been reported. Basic amenities are lacking, and students are forced to endure poor living conditions.

Mancherial: Officials in Mancherial district are facing sharp criticism for their failure to ensure supervision and quality standards in Ashram hostels run by the Tribal Welfare Department.

The district has 16 hostels offering accommodation and education to 2,711 tribal students, apart from two post-matric hostels for tribal youth. These hostels are located across Mancherial town, Bheemaram, Chennur, Vemananapalli, Chittapur, Luxettipet, Jannaram and Kawal villages for easy access to students.

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However, these hostels are frequently in the news for food poisoning incidents. On Monday, parents were angered by officials failing to inform them about the ill-health of two students studying in one of the hostels. Officials claimed the students had consumed food at home before returning to the hostel on Sunday.

The issue of food safety has persisted for months. On November 8, 2024, then District Tribal Welfare Officer (DTWO) Gangaram was suspended for dereliction of duty and misleading senior officials. He had allegedly provided false information regarding the hospitalisation of 12 students following a suspected food poisoning incident at an Ashram school in Saikunta on November 6. Two more students from the same hostel reportedly fell ill on November 8.

Parents have repeatedly accused officials of negligence in supervising hostel conditions, leading to contaminated water and unhygienic food. “Wardens are not discharging their duties properly. The cooks don’t follow basic hygiene. Insect-infested food is served, sending students to hospital,” said a parent, requesting anonymity.

They also highlighted the absence of basic amenities such as toilets, bathrooms, beds, lights and fans. “Inmates are forced to make do with substandard conditions. They bathe in cold water during winter, use foul-smelling toilets, drink unsafe water and live in filthy surroundings,” another parent lamented.

District Tribal Welfare Officer Janardhan said efforts were underway to provide hostels with essential amenities and to prevent further food poisoning incidents. He added that wardens had been instructed to closely monitor cooking and ensure the supply of purified drinking water.