HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to ensure that teachers eat with students in government schools, stating that the practice would help prevent food poisoning and improve accountability in the mid-day meal scheme.
A bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin issued the order while hearing a PIL filed by Keethineedi Akhil Sri Guru Teja. The petitioner sought proper implementation of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (2018) guidelines, including ratios of bathrooms (1:10), toilets (1:7) and wardens (1:50).
Advocate Chikkudu Prabhakar, appearing for the petitioner, argued that despite earlier directions, cases of food adulteration in schools and hostels persist. He urged daily inspections of kitchens and storerooms by principals or wardens, with photographic evidence uploaded on a dedicated app.
Additional Advocate General Md Imran Khan, representing the state government, said no student had died of food poisoning and that those taken ill were promptly treated. He told the court that negligent staff are being penalised and that a committee, including a state government representative, monitors the mid-day meal scheme.
Chief Justice Singh remarked that if teachers ate with students, such issues would likely not arise. The bench also noted that student involvement in school-related chores was acceptable unless it involved personal tasks for staff.
The matter was adjourned to September 19.