Food poisoning strikes again at Telangana school: 21 students hospitalised

Hyderabad: In a troubling repeat of food poisoning incidents, 21 students from a government-run school in Telangana fell ill on Tuesday after consuming their mid-day meal. The students, attending Maganoor Zilla Parishad High School in Narayanpet district, reported symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea.

The affected students were quickly taken to the Government Hospital in Maganoor for treatment. Authorities are investigating the cause of the illness. This is the second food poisoning incident at the same school in less than a week. On November 20, around 50 students had also fallen ill after eating the mid-day meal.

Government orders inquiry

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has expressed concern over the incident and has instructed the district Collector to conduct a thorough inquiry. He also ordered action to be taken against those responsible for the incident.

In response to the earlier food poisoning case, School Education Director E. V. Narasimha Reddy suspended the headmaster, the Mandal Education Officer, and the person in charge of the mid-day meals. The government also cancelled the contract with the agency supplying the meals. Despite these measures, the school faced another food poisoning issue.

This latest incident adds to a growing list of food poisoning cases in government-run schools in Telangana. In recent months, several such cases have been reported, especially in residential schools and hostels.

Student dies after food poisoning at Tribal Welfare School

One of the most tragic incidents occurred recently at a tribal welfare residential school in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district. A 16-year-old student, C. Shailaja, died on Monday after a month-long battle with food poisoning. Shailaja was among 60 students who fell ill after having dinner at the school on October 30. Three students, including Shailaja, were in critical condition and were transferred to Hyderabad for treatment. While two students recovered, Shailaja’s condition worsened, and she sadly passed away.

The opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has criticized the state government over the death of Shailaja. Party leaders have demanded a compensation of Rs 50 lakh for her family. BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao highlighted the alarming frequency of food poisoning incidents, claiming that three students lose their lives every month due to poor-quality meals in government-run schools.

BRS blames poor meal quality for deaths

BRS leader K. Kavitha also criticized the government, claiming that since the Congress-led government took power in Telangana, 42 students have died from food poisoning in government schools. She has blamed the poor quality of meals being served in these schools for these tragic deaths.

As these incidents continue to raise concerns, the government faces growing pressure to ensure that food safety measures are strengthened in schools across the state.

Agency