Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Siddipet MLA T Harish Rao demanded the state government to provide quality food to students in gurukul institutions and ensure timely medical care during emergencies. He urged the government to release pending funds to address infrastructure and operational issues in hostels, including payment of staff salaries.
Harish Rao, accompanied by BRS leaders, visited the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) on Saturday, December 14, to take stock of the health condition of Leelavati, a student of Tribal Welfare Residential School in Tandur, Vikarabad district, who was among the several students who fell ill after consuming khichdi at their hostel on December 10.
Video: Telangana govt school students fall ill in Vikarabad due to food poisoning
“Despite their deteriorating condition, Leelavati was kept in the hostel and provided inadequate treatment instead of being shifted to a proper medical facility. Four days later, as her health failed to improve, she was finally transferred to NIMS for advanced care,” he pointed out.
Highlighting repeated failures in gurukul institutions, he recalled the tragic death of Shailaja due to similar negligence.
He also expressed concern over the recurring incidents of food poisoning in Gurukul institutions and government schools across the state, which showed the government’s inability to address these critical issues effectively.
He strongly criticised chief minister A Revanth Reddy, who also oversees the education and the SC/ST welfare ministries.
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“Despite numerous warnings about food poisoning and safety issues in Gurukul institutions, there has been no meaningful action. Even the schools in the chief minister’s district are neglected. The focus seems to be on propaganda rather than ensuring the safety and future of our children,” he observed.
Harish Rao cited recurring incidents of food poisoning, dog bites, snake bites, rat bites, and even electric shocks in residential institutions.
Referring to the recent case of Neelam Sai Ganesh, a 5th-grade student from Kettepalli mandal in Nalgonda district who was hospitalised after being bitten by a snake, he noted that 49 students had lost their lives so far under such circumstances, but the government remained unresponsive and indifferent.
He also questioned why hostel funds were not released for six months despite the state government’s claim of a “green channel” for fund allocation.
