Over 800 students have fallen ill within a week at Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies (RGUKT) Nuzvid Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIIT) in Andhra Pradesh, exhibiting symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, and vomiting, prompting serious concerns about the food safety standards maintained by the institute’s administration.
The spike in the number of students falling ill regularly has raised alarms among parents and authorities, with investigations underway to identify the cause and prevent further cases. Students shared pictures and videos on social media showing unhygienic conditions in which they were served food in the mess.
On Tuesday, August 27, a staggering 342 students fell ill in a single day, contributing to the growing tally of over 800 sick students throughout last week. Parents have expressed deep concern over the administration’s mismanagement, accusing officials of delaying necessary preventive measures and failing to ensure a safe food environment for the students.
Recently a student found a pan masala packet in the rice that was served, while another post shows a dirty environment near the food court area.
Authorities dismiss students’ claim
Health officials, after visiting the institute’s kitchen premises, stated that the situation on the campus is not alarming, reported the TNIE. Though it was found that the college kitchen has significant lapses in cleanliness and poor hygiene standards, Eluru District Medical and Health Officer (DM&HO), Dr S Sermista said to TNIE that reports of a mass fever and diarrhoea outbreak were exaggerated.
Director of RGUKT IIIT Nuzvid also denied the claims while addressing the media, saying reports of a widespread diarrhoea outbreak were inaccurate.
Andhra Pradesh minister Kolusu Parthasarathy visited the campus to inspect the institute’s mess facilities and discovered highly unhygienic conditions where food was being prepared and served. His visit highlighted the severe lapses in food safety, further intensifying concerns over the health crisis affecting the students.
Food poisoning incidents in educational institutions across Andhra Pradesh have surged recently, with multiple outbreaks reported in August alone. Food poisoning was reported at an orphanage in Kailasapatnam, Anakapalle district, where three children died and 23 were hospitalized.
Similarly, at Chittoor’s Apollo Health University, 70 students were hospitalized, while at Kakinada’s Yeleswaram Gurukulam school, students fell ill after consuming contaminated food.
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