Even after a near three-hour protest by the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, students demanding better hygienic and nutritious food, they said that the college management did not pay any heed to their demands.
After holding a meeting with the protesting students on Thursday night, college officials agreed only to minor changes in the system, the students claimed. “They have categorically told us that we have to adjust. As we are charged about Rs 85 per day for meals, the officials said what is currently offered is adequate for us ,” revealed a student. However, the college officials denied charges that the present menu lacks nutritious food items.
“The menu is decided upon primarily by our students, in consultation with the faculty concerned on one hand and the third party consultant on the other. Keeping in mind our students hailing from families belonging to economically weaker sections, a basic menu is set. Students can choose from among a few extra items offered by the contract caterer on extra payment,” said L S Ganesh, Dean of Students.
When asked about the students’ allegation of unhygienic food offered in the mess, Ganesh said, “We have had occasional instances of insects or worms being found in some food items despite our relentless efforts. We do realize that such problems are unavoidable, but their frequency is minimized by tackling them on two fronts: pest control in our dining facilities and close monitoring of contract caterers by members of our Mess Monitoring and Control Committee, consisting of faculty, staff, students and a third party consultant. There have been rare complaints about stale bread being served. We levy a stiff penalty on caterers over such incidents.”
Protestors on Friday had claimed that the issue of poor food quality had been there for few years, but things got worse in the last one month. At times students were given stale bread. Some students claimed they had even noticed worms in the rice served for lunch.