Telangana HC seeks guideline compliance report from state govt over food poisoning

HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Tuesday took a serious view over recent consecutive incidents of food poisoning at Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) in the state, which resulted in hundreds of residential students needing to be admitted to hospitals.

The division bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice N.V. Shravan Kumar on Tuesday directed the state government to submit a compliance report as per instructions in Chapter IV of Guidelines of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2018, within two weeks.

The guidelines mandate the state and Union governments to accommodate free and quality education in a good atmosphere to uplift SCs, STs, BCs, and minorities, including orphans, and their welfare, as guaranteed by the Constitution of India.

As per the guidelines, the hostels should contain adequate lighting, heating and cooling arrangements, ventilation, safe drinking water, clean and accessible infrastructure, including toilets, and proper storage and inspection of articles of food.

The court was dealing with a PIL alleging non-compliance of guidelines, over recent incidents in Amrabad and Morthad, where students had to be shifted to hospitals in trucks, on an urgent hearing.

The petitioner brought to the court’s notice news reports published by Deccan Chronicle, wherein Nizamabad district medical and health officer Dr Sudarshan made it clear that the incident was a case of food contamination.

Chikkudu Prabhakar, the counsel for the petitioner, submitted to the court that the authorities failed to provide necessary facilities to the children, contrary to prescribed guidelines. Basic amenities were reportedly lacking at hostels and residential schools for SCs, STs, BCs, and minorities, he submitted.

Considering the contentions, the court directed the state government to file the compliance report and adjourned the case to October 6.