Food poisoning struck students of yet another educational institution, this time in Andhra Pradesh. The students of the Social Welfare Department Girls' College Hostel of Eluru district's Nuzividu city fell ill on Saturday, September 24. The students were admitted to a hospital and their ill health was attributed to the lack of palatable and adequate food provided in the hostel. After an inquiry on Sunday, September 25, the Hostel Welfare Officer of the girls' hostel, P Naga Mani, was transferred to Korukollu on disciplinary grounds, as she was allegedly negligent in maintaining the welfare hostel and in serving food to the boarders, which led to them falling sick.
The New Indian Express reported that as the students residing in the hostel fell ill with food poisoning, the Eluru District Collector Prasanna Venkatesh directed Social Welfare Joint Director Madhusudhana Rao to inspect the hostel. After a thorough inspection, Rao stated that the Hostel Welfare Officer had failed to implement the prescribed menu for welfare hostels in the state and deviated from it in terms of quantities and items to be served daily.
"She has failed to serve the food hot/delicious and to observe whether rice and other food items being served are cooked properly. Instead of the prescribed boiled egg, she was serving egg bhurji curry," he added. Rao also stated that the Hostel Welfare Officer has failed to inform the higher officials that the hostel boarders fell ill, though the college management promptly responded and informed her. She also did not visit the hospital where the students were admitted and did not enquire about their health conditions.
Following the dismissal of the Hostel Welfare Officer, the full additional charge of the hostel in question has been transferred to P Sandhya Rani, Hostel Welfare Officer, Social Welfare College Girls' Hostel No 1 in Nuzividu.
