In another disturbing case of food poisoning in Telangana, 21 students became ill at Maganoor Zilla Parishad High School in Narayanpet district on November 26. The students experienced symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea after consuming their mid-day meal and were quickly taken to the Government Hospital in Maganoor. This incident marks the second such event at the school within a week, following an earlier occurrence on November 20 when around 50 students also fell ill after eating the mid-day meal.
In response to the situation, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy instructed the district Collector to investigate and take necessary actions against those at fault. The School Education director, E. V. Narasimha Reddy, has since suspended the headmaster, the Mandal Education Officer, and the official responsible for the mid-day meals. Additionally, the contract with the meal supply agency has been terminated. Despite these measures, another food poisoning incident struck the school shortly thereafter.
The trend of food poisoning incidents has been concerning, especially in government-run schools, including residential institutions and hostels. Tragically, a 16-year-old student from a tribal welfare residential school passed away on November 26, nearly a month after becoming critically ill due to food poisoning. C. Shailaja was one of 60 students who fell ill on October 30 after dinner at their school. While most students recovered, Shailaja remained critically ill and was later transferred to Hyderabad’s NIMS, where she ultimately died.
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has criticized the state government following Shailaja’s death, demanding compensation of Rs 50 lakh for her family. BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao pointed out that food poisoning claims the lives of approximately three students each month in residential schools. He and fellow BRS leader K Kavitha attributed the rise in food poisoning incidents and the resulting fatalities—reportedly totaling 42 since the Congress-led government took power—to the poor quality of meals served in these schools.