GUNTUR: Taking serious note of the poor-quality food served to students at Acharya Nagarjuna University, the Education Department has initiated an investigation into the matter. The issue surfaced on Friday night when a large group of students staged a dharna at the Vice-Chancellor’s office on the university premises.
The students alleged that frogs and insects were found in the rice and sambar served during lunch in the girl's hostel mess earlier that day. They raised slogans demanding better food quality in the girl's hostel. Addressing the media, a female student revealed that insects had been found in the food for the past three days.
“We complained to university officials and even submitted written complaints, but no action was taken,” she asserted. Another student stated that many girls had stopped eating in the hostel mess and attended classes on empty stomachs, as their grievances were ignored by the officials and hostel staff. According to local sources, when the girls tried to leave the hostel to protest, the staff locked the gates to prevent them from going outside. However, the students eventually gathered in large numbers, forced the gates open, and staged a protest on Friday night. University Rector Acharya Simhachalam and police officers rushed to the scene to pacify the protesters. The Rector assured the students that immediate action would be taken to improve food quality by Saturday.
He inspected the preparation of breakfast on Saturday morning. Guntur RDO K Srinivasa Rao visited the university and inspected the hostel mess, kitchen, and water plant. He expressed dissatisfaction with the poor sanitation conditions. Food safety officials collected food samples for testing to verify the students’ claims. They have been directed to take strict action against the mess warden and contractor if the allegations are proven true.