The Telangana High Court has expressed grave concern over the rising cases of suspected food poisoning among students at government-run schools, directing that samples of mid-day meals be collected from all such institutions for laboratory testing. The court’s action follows a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) related to food poisoning at a government school in Narayanpet district.
Taking a stern stance, the court questioned the lack of urgency from officials, asking whether they would only take action if children died due to food poisoning. The judges emphasised the need for a compassionate approach, reminding officials that they too have children. They also criticised the government for its failure to handle the issue with the seriousness it demands and ordered immediate action against those responsible for the incident, instructing that a report be submitted by next Monday.
The bench, consisting of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Srinivas Rao, noted that the recurrence of food poisoning incidents at the same school within a week—following an earlier case in which 50 students had fallen ill on November 20—was indicative of serious negligence. The court described the repeated incidents as unacceptable.
According to Additional Advocate General Imran Khan, some of the students who fell ill had reportedly consumed snacks from outside the school. On Tuesday, 21 students at Maganoor Zilla Parishad High School fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal, presenting symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea. They were immediately taken to the Government Hospital at Maganoor for treatment.
This incident marked the second food poisoning episode at the same school in less than a week. Following the first incident, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had instructed the district collector to investigate the matter, resulting in the suspension of three officials and the cancellation of the contract with the mid-day meal supplier. Despite these measures, the second incident has raised further concerns.
This incident comes just a day after the tragic death of a 16-year-old student at a tribal welfare residential school in Wankidi, Komaram Bheem Asifabad district. The student had been critically ill since October 30 due to food poisoning, with 60 students falling ill at the time. The death has added to mounting concerns over food safety in educational institutions.
The opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has strongly criticised the state government, blaming it for the student’s death and demanding Rs 50 lakh in compensation for the family. BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao has pointed to the frequent food poisoning incidents in residential schools, claiming that such tragedies have claimed the lives of three students every month. Additionally, BRS leader K. Kavitha alleged that since the Congress-led government came to power, 42 students have died from food poisoning in government schools.