There were more than 300 students at the new mess who preferred North Indian food
Of the total nine hostels on the campus, only two hostels provide separate North Indian food. Inmates in other hostels have to spend from their pocket to eat outside. (Photo: DC/File)
Hyderabad: Students of the University of Hyderabad want the mess on the south campus to be divided for North and South Indian students as their food habits are different. Many North Indian students at the university are not satisfied with South Indian dishes like rice, sambar and rasam and have been asking the authorities for roti and dal.
After a survey held by the chief warden, it was found that there were more than 300 students at the new mess who preferred North Indian food. With the new big mess hall due to be inaugurated in November, the student union is holding consultations for the same.
Of the total nine hostels on the campus, only two hostels provide separate North Indian food. Inmates in other hostels have to spend from their pocket to eat outside.
“North Indian food is not served by every mess and we have to eat rice for breakfast sometimes. It is very difficult to adjust. After paying for the mess and then having to end up spending on food outside is a huge burden. So why not make North Indian food accessible at all places?” asked a student.
The core committee members of the student union, the vice-chancellor, chief warden and other staff, meanwhile, visited the upcoming mess hall for the I and L hostel blocks. “The proposal for having a partition for South Indian and North Indian mess was put forth after analysing the number of North Indian students staying at the South Campus. Hopefully, this partition will happen by the end of November,” said Vincent Benny, president of the UoH Students’ Union.
“The mess can accommodate 700 students and about 300 are opting for North Indian dishes. We thought it would be a fair demand as they are used to certain kind of food,” he added.
The student union is also proposing to start an ethnic kitchen, a space for students to cook by themselves. “There is an abandoned canteen and we want to revamp it and use this space like an ethnic kitchen that will have some basic equipment,” Mr Benny said.
Meanwhile, the new student union has formed a committee which will be visiting campuses across the city to check the kind of food served. They will then analyse the food quality, price and the variety and submit a list of recommendations to the Vice-Chancellor to be implemented.
“This committee will examine the food quality, analyse the menu and the fee at all campuses and then compare it with the food here at UoH. We don’t want to outsource or privatise the food department. We want it to be by the hostel authorities and they must improve the food quality,” said Vincent Benny, president, University of Hyderabad Students’ Union.
“The food quality is bad and people started moving out to eat. This is not how it should be. All of us come here to study and the least the authorities can do is provide food that is good. An initiative like this is needed. Students study and live here for at least two years and there needs to be a way out,” said a student.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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