Food poisoning: Telangana CM asks district Collectors to make frequent visits to govt schools

Against the backdrop of food poisoning incidents in government schools, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday directed district Collectors to undertake regular inspections in state-run educational institutions to ensure that there is no negligence in providing hygienic food to the students.

The Telangana High Court on Wednesday sought a report from the government by December 2 over the recent incidents of students taking ill after consuming mid-meals in government schools.

The chief minister told the Collectors that the employees should treat the students of state-run schools, hostels and residential schools as their own children and not show any negligence, an official release said.

He instructed the Collectors to frequently inspect the government educational institutions and submit reports.

Expressing anguish over food poisoning incidents in spite of his several directives, he warned that the government would not hesitate to sack those employees whose negligence in providing hygienic food to students is proved.

The government has recruited thousands of new teachers and substantially increased the funds meant for providing food and other essentials to students, he pointed out.

Noting that some are trying to defame the government though it is taking positive decisions for the sake of students, Reddy asserted that the administration would act tough with such "forces" and punish them as per law.

The chief minister also instructed officials to initiate stringent action against those who are spreading rumours and false information with regard to food in government hostels.