Telangana CM warns officials of strong action over food poisoning in schools

Hyderabad (The Uttam Hindu): Expressing his ire over recent food poisoning incidents at government-run residential schools and hostels in Telangana, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday warned that the officials found being negligent would be dismissed from service. Day after the Telangana High Court pulled up the government over the incidents, the Chief Minister directed the District Collectors to take action against erring officials.

He asked the District Collectors to treat students in government schools as their own children and ensure that they get quality food under hygienic conditions. The District Collectors were directed to leave no scope for negligence. According to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Chief Minister Reddy asked the District Collectors to visit schools, hostels and residential schools and submit their report.

Chief Minister Reddy was unhappy that despite his directions to officials, lapses were taking place and warned that action was inevitable against the officials acting with negligence in providing quality food to students. He made it clear that the government would not hesitate to dismiss the employees if they were found negligent in providing hygienic and nutritious food to students.

Chief Minister Reddy mentioned that to provide good education to students, the government appointed hundreds of teachers and to provide nutrition to students, it recently increased the allocation of funds for diet. CM Reddy said while he was taking positive steps for the betterment of students, some forces were trying to malign the government. He said the government would act tough against such forced and those found guilty would be punished as per the law. He asked officials to take stringent action against those deliberately spreading rumours about hostels and creating fear among students and their parents by spreading fake news.

The Telangana High Court on Wednesday took serious note of the students taking ill due to suspected food poisoning at government-run schools and directed that samples from mid-day meals be collected from all such schools for lab analysis. The court passed the orders on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) about two food poisoning incidents in a week at a government-run school in Narayanpet district. Pulling up the officials for their negligence, the High Court asked if they would react only if children died of food poisoning. It asked the officials to adopt a humane approach saying they, too, have children. The court also directed the government to take action against the officials responsible for the incidents and submit a report by next Monday.