Number of sick students reaches 60-Telangana today

Sources said another 15 students fell ill on Saturday after consuming a contaminated dinner at the hostel. On Thursday and Wednesday, 45 students became ill.

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: The number of students falling ill due to alleged food poisoning at a tribal welfare department-run hostel-cum-school in Wankidi mandal rose to 60 on Saturday. The condition of one of the students was found to be critical.

Sources said another 15 students fell ill on Saturday after consuming a contaminated dinner at the hostel. On Thursday and Wednesday, 45 students became ill. They were admitted to a primary health center in Wankidi mandal centre. Towards evening they were dismissed. They complained of abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea after eating at 10pm on Wednesday.

However, a student named Shailaja was shifted to a hospital in Mancherial as her medical condition deteriorated, while Parvathi underwent treatment at a hospital in Kaghaznagar. Another student Kova Laxmi was receiving treatment at the district headquarters hospital in Asifabad. It is said that Shailaja is on ventilator and fighting for life.

Students and parents raised concerns over cases of food poisoning in the hostel. They attributed the incident to the unsanitary conditions in which the food was prepared, while the drinking water was not protected and the water tank was cleaned once a month. They stated that similar incidents of food poisoning have occurred in the past but were not reported.

Meanwhile, Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDAO)-Utnoor Project Officer Khusbu Gupta inspected the hostel and instructed officials concerned to take steps to ensure hygiene in the kitchen on Saturday.

She urged parents not to take the students home fearing food poisoning incidents in the hostel. She directed the officials to provide quality food to the inmates of the hostel and medical services to those admitted to the hospital. She asked them to take measures to prevent recurrence of similar incidents in the future.