Collector Kumar Deepak orders checks on food served at hostels

 Adilabad: District collector Kumar Deepak has directed food inspectors in Mancherial to conduct regular inspections of government and private hostels, mid-day meal kitchens, store rooms and private kirana shops to check the quality of food items used and sold.

The district administration took serious note of complaints regarding poor quality food being served to students in government and private hostels and colleges. The directions followed an incident on February 6 in which 16 students fell ill after consuming dinner at the Integrated SC Hostel in Bellampalli headquarters. The affected students were shifted to the local government hospital and were later discharged after treatment.

The collector visited the hospital, enquired about the incident and interacted with the students undergoing treatment. He issued a show-cause notice to hostel warden Sujatha in connection with the incident.

The collector instructed food inspectors to collect samples of food items used in meal preparation, including mid-day meals, as well as food items and ingredients sold in shops, and send them to laboratories for quality testing.

Reviewing the situation with concerned officials, the collector stressed strict monitoring of food quality in government hostels, especially in view of recent incidents of students falling ill due to suspected food poisoning. He also directed officials to verify trade licences of agencies supplying and selling food items and to initiate action against those supplying items past their expiry dates.

District officials appealed to the public to report complaints related to poor quality food or food items by calling 7981904028 or by submitting written complaints to the Food Safety Wing at the Mancherial municipality.