Key Development
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has ordered the Telangana government to probe widespread food poisoning incidents in residential schools that sickened over 800 children. During its two-day camp in Hyderabad, the Commission flagged serious food safety lapses and demanded urgent corrective action.
School Meals Under Scrutiny After Widespread Illness
Speaking to the media after the hearings, NHRC Chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian voiced deep concern over repeated cases of foodborne illness in Telangana’s gurukul schools. During a closed-door meeting on Monday, senior government officials admitted to 886 such incidents, including 48 student deaths over the years. They told the Commission they had suspended or blacklisted some contractors. However, the NHRC has now ordered them to submit detailed status reports within four weeks to ensure proper monitoring and follow-up.
Food Safety Failures in State-Run Hostels
The Commission flagged major hygiene lapses in how residential schools prepare and distribute meals. It identified lack of food safety oversight, irregular inspections, and the absence of medically certified kitchen staff as key factors behind the recurring outbreaks. Justice Ramasubramanian emphasised that government hostels must ensure the highest hygiene standards, stating that children in these schools rely entirely on state-provided food, and any lapse amounts to a violation of their basic rights.
Rising Public Concern Triggers NHRC Oversight
At the Dr. MCR Human Resource Development Institute, the NHRC’s Hyderabad session reviewed 109 human rights cases and closed 29 after hearings. The Commission observed a sharp rise in suo motu cases, many of which stemmed from media and social media reports highlighting food safety violations. In 2021, the NHRC took up 17 such cases. That number rose to 117 in 2023, and over 50 cases have already been recorded this year. The Commission noted that even minor local reports can prompt nationwide inquiries when public health or food safety is involved.
Local Voices Echo the Need for Reform
The NHRC also met with grassroots organisations and human rights defenders, who shared on-the-ground testimonies of neglect in nutrition, sanitation, and health monitoring within hostels and schools. Their input underscored the urgent need for stricter food quality checks, better staff training, and enhanced accountability.
Source: The Hindu