High Court Slams Food Poisoning In Maganur ZP School

The Telangana High Court today expressed its displeasure over the food poisoning incident at the Maganur ZP High School in Narayanpet district.

"Are the officers sleeping when such an incident happens? What are you doing to the officials if there are food poisoning incidents three times a week? Don't you react unless the children die? This is proof of the negligence of the authorities. The State government is not taking it seriously," the court said.

The court made these remarks while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) alleging that the quality of mid-day meals in the government schools was not being maintained. Senior advocate Chikkudu Prabhakar argued on behalf of the petitioner and also said that such incidents were occurring frequently in the schools across the State.

The court also expressed displeasure over the government's counsel offering to file a counter within a week. It asked why it would take a week to contact the officers at the district headquarters and collect the details. "Will the authorities act only if the High Court gives orders? They also have children, don't they? We must act in a humanitarian manner. If a non-bailable warrant is issued, the officer concerned will appear within 5 minutes," the court said.

For the uninitiated, over 50 students fell ill after having lunch at the high school on November 20. Yesterday, 29 students of the same school fell ill again - they started vomiting while returning to their homes after eating the lunch served. The teachers quickly rushed them to the local PHC for treatment. Of the 29, seven recovered immediately, while the remaining 22 were transferred to the Maktal government hospital.