33 Welfare Students Hospitalised Due to Food Poisoning

Hyderabad: Thirty-three students from the Nagaram Minority Gurukulam in Medchal-Malkajgiri district fell ill after having lunch on Thursday. The students reported severe stomachache and vomiting, after which they were rushed to the Ghatkesar Government Hospital for treatment.

Doctors stated that the students are recovering and currently stable. According to reports, Thursday's lunch, served as part of the hostel meals, seems to have triggered indigestion and food poisoning.

The Gurukulam hosts 450 students under the Nagaram municipality. This incident, along with a few more in other districts, occurred despite the Telangana government’s recent introduction of a “New Common Diet Menu” on December 14, which was meant to improve meal quality in residential schools.

The new menu included a 40 per cent increase in diet charges and a 200 per cent hike in cosmetic charges, alongside a stringent Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for food preparation and serving. The SOP mandates thorough guidelines for hygiene, such as ensuring vegetables do not touch the ground, prohibiting the reuse of leftover food and maintaining strict standards for storage and cooking.

The new menu and SOP were introduced following cases of severe food poisoning in government residential schools, some even leading to deaths.