HYDERABAD: Scores of students studying in Telangana government residential schools have been admitted to hospitals over the last several months following alleged food poisoning. Such incidents have been widely covered in the media, including TNIE.
However, believe it or not, the welfare institutions concerned claim otherwise. In fact, in response to RTI queries filed by TNIE on the number of food poisoning cases and action taken, their reply was -- “Not a single such incident was reported”.
TNIE filed queries under RTI with the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TSWREIS), Telangana Tribal Welfare Residential Educational Society (TTWREIS) and Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Telangana Backward Classes Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (MJPTBCWREIS).
TTWREIS hasn’t responded though it has been nearly two months since the RTI was filed. TSWREIS and MJPTBCWREIS have categorically denied any food poisoning cases, contradicting the data of the Telangana State Food Commission which has taken cognisance of these cases based on media reports.
Between September 2022 and February 2023, several cases of suspected food poisoning were reported from Adilabad, Siddipet, Sangareddy, and Mahabubabad districts. For instance, on September 3, 2022, TNIE reported that at least 30 students of TSWREIS, commonly referred to as Gurukul Boys’ School, at Mirudoddi in Dubbaka were hospitalised. At the time, the students were said to have suffered from fever, and diarrhoea due to the poor quality of the food served.
An official, requesting anonymity, from the Telangana State Food Commission confirmed that they had registered several cases of food poisoning during the aforementioned period taking suo-motu cognisance of media reports. While some cases were disposed of, some others are pending to this day.
Hakku Initiative, a research organisation, has documented the number of food poisoning cases. According to it, 1,549 students suffered from food poisoning in the calendar year 2022 in 43 different educational institutes within a span of 11 months in 23 districts of Telangana.
Authorities reject claims
TNIE had specifically asked if any food poisoning cases were reported in their school/college/society, besides the list of affected schools. TNIE also sought to know if the institution has sent food samples for testing to ascertain if food poisoning was indeed the cause — to which the reply was — “NA” (not applicable).
The same set of questions were sent to TSWREIS. Without answering the questions individually, they broadly replied, “Nil”, claiming there have been no food poisoning cases, nor deaths in their society.
TNIE reached out to the Secretary of TSWRIES Ronald Rose for his comments on the issue. But it is learnt that he is in Karnataka on election duty at the time of filing this report.
The reason for the cases of food poisoning is alleged to be substandard food provided to the students who come from poor families. The model menu of TSWREIS issued in 2019-2020 has 77 food items including seasonal fruit, spices, pulses, and other nutritious items with a per capita expenditure of Rs 34.17 per day for schools. It is slightly higher for intermediate students. The menu consists of rice, curry with dal, sambar with ingredients such as carrot, bottle gourd, drumstick, and cucumber, curd 75 ml, ghee, pickle and egg.
‘No quality checks’
Rights activist from Adilabad, A Bhujanga Rao, who is associated with the civil rights organisation Human Rights Forum, alleges that the authorities concerned failed to conduct quality checks of the food supplies.
Another activist with MV Foundation, R Venkat Reddy, who works closely with schools and children, points out that the low per capita price declared a few years ago, is making it difficult for suppliers to provide quality food items. But the moot question now is, do the institutions have a record of food poisoning cases at all? If not, it is a serious cause of concern.