COIMBATORE: A private agricultural and horticultural college in Ranipet district has begun serving non-vegetarian (NV) food to female hostellers from Thursday, ending gender bias in meal provision. The action follows TNIE's story published on August 28 titled 'Denied non-veg food at private college, claim female hostellers'.
According to sources at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), the college administration decided to provide NV food to female hostellers twice a week, chicken biryani on Thursdays and chicken gravy on Mondays. Accordingly, chicken biriyani was served to girl hostellers on Thursday night (September 3). "Students welcomed this move and were happy," sources added.
A senior official at the institution confirmed to TNIE that they have started providing NV food to female hostellers.
On July 29, a Virudhunagar-based advocate filed a petition with Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay alleging that a private college affiliated with TNAU was discriminating against girl hostellers by denying them NV food. He pointed out that while boys in the hostel were provided NV food twice a week, the college allegedly denied the same to girl students without giving a valid reason.
Even after the petition was received by TNAU, officers did not initially open the complaint at the university. Following TNIE's report on the issue, the next day (August 29), the college administration held a meeting with the students and formed a two-member committee to investigate the matter, sources said. Subsequently, NV food was provided to the girl hostellers as well.
Earlier, college authorities said that due to rising mess fees, girl students had not opted for the NV food menu, and denied any gender bias in food provision.
