Telangana’s Govt school students live in fear of food poisoning

There has been a rising number of student protests, including those by girls, against the sub-standard food being served. From Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s constituency of Kodangal to Mahabubabad, there have been seven such protests in just four days since Friday.

Hyderabad: Every time they sit for a meal in their hostel canteens, students of government residential schools and colleges in Telangana are increasingly being forced to pray for their own safety. Such has been the frequency of worms and lizards being found in rice, curries and upma, apart from instances of rotten eggs and vegetables being used to make food for them.

The situation is also seeing an increasing frequency of students, including girl students, coming out on the streets protesting against sub-standard food being served to them. Right from Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s own constituency of Kodangal to Mahabubabad, there have been seven such protests in four days since Friday. The protests were not all. At a few places, students had to be hospitalized too.
On Saturday, students from Kasturba Gandhi Girls School at Nacharam in Kodangal hit the streets and staged a protest over poor quality food being served to them in the hostel. The students said wriggling worms were detected in the rice and curries many times.

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The same day, 20 students of the Model School at Veldanda mandal in Nagarkurnool district were hospitalized after consuming poor quality food in their hostel. Students complained that half-cooked food was being served to them and there were worms in the rice and curries since the last few days.
On Sunday, about 22 students of KGBV at Pentlavelli in Kollapur were hospitalized due to food poisoning. After lunch, the girls had complained of stomach ache and many began vomiting. Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao asked officials for an enquiry and report.

On Friday, students of the Kothapalli Government School in Kotagiri mandal in Nizamabad complained that they were served rice with just chilli powder and oil. The incident came to light on Sunday when former Minister T Harish Rao questioned the government over the negligence of officials in serving quality food to students, following which the Nizamabad District Education Officer conducted an inquiry.
On Sunday, due to unhygienic conditions in the kitchen at the Government Social Welfare Residential School, Vikarabad, four students were admitted to hospital with jaundice. Incidentally, on July 5, 45 students from the same school had fallen ill due to diarrhea after consuming stale food.

Also on Sunday, 15 students from the Burgupally Gurukul School in Vikarabad fell sick due to fever, though it is not clear whether it was due to food.

On Monday, students from the Eklavya Model Residential School at Namalapadu in Bayyaram mandal of Mahabubabad district complained about poor quality food being served to them, with worms and stones in the rice several times. Apart from stomach pain, a few students complained about skin allergies as well. To make matters worse, there was a severe water crisis in the hostel, with students taking bath only once in three days.

There were local media reports of students of the Women’s Degree College, Budera, Munipally mandal of Sangareddy, complaining of rotten vegetables being used to cook the food.
In April, four incidents were reported, including the tragic death of a boy in Bhongir. From the Narsapur Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya hostel in Nirmal to a social welfare boys’ hostel in Sultanabad of Peddapalli, there were reports of students being hospitalized due to food poisoning.

Incidentally, on April 3, 25 students of the same hostel in Nirmal had taken ill after consuming stale breakfast. The incident led to suspension of three officials but there was a repeat within three weeks, showing that official lethargy was continuing in the absence of a strong response from the State government.

In Bhongir, a Class 7 student, Prasanth, 13, died after 29 students fell sick due to food poisoning at the Social Welfare Ashram School on April 11. In March, five students of TSWREIS (Girls) Jangaon fell sick, while in January, 76 students of Mudhole Social Welfare Gurukul College were admitted to hospital for food poisoning.

These are apart from instances of rats found swimming in chutney and 12 girl students in a hostel being bitten by rats in a single night.