Following a series of food poisoning incidents in government-run schools and hostels, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has warned officials and staff that action will be taken against them if they fail to provide nutritious food to students.
He directed district collectors to frequently inspect the schools, hostels, and gurukul schools and submit reports about the conditions. Both the Chief Minister and Panchayat Minister Danasari Seethakka have blamed vested interests for the incidents of food poisoning after it caused a loss of face for the Congress government in the state.
The Chief Minister held a series of review meetings over the frequent cases of food poisoning in schools and hostels and warned officers that he would not hesitate to remove them from service if they were found negligent in providing nutritious food to the students. Expressing his regret over the incidents the Chief Minister reminded that his government had recently increased diet charges and recruited thousands of teachers after coming to power.
The state has been rocked by a series of food poisoning cases in the state and a 16-year-old girl, Shailaja of Asifabad district even died after being hospitalised for some days. In a Zilla parishad school in Narayanpet, students fell sick twice during the same week after eating mid-day meals served in the school. Even the High Court has taken up a petition on the repeated cases of food poisoning and asked the state government to file a counter affidavit.
The Chief Minister also warned that some people were deliberately spreading rumours and creating panic among students and parents over the food poisoning and threatened to take strict action. Panchayat Minister Danasari Seethakka also alleged a conspiracy by another political party and said the government would investigate this. She said they have suspicions and will soon come out with evidence. “If any officers are involved in the conspiracy, we will register criminal cases and remove them from the service,” she threatened.