Private college launches inquiry after food poisoning affects students

ANDHRA PRADESH: Guntur district prompted the district administration to initiate an inquiry, an official said on Thursday. District Collector A Thameem Ansariya issued orders constituting a committee to probe the incident and submit a detailed report.

"A food poisoning incident at a private college in Guntur district has prompted the district administration to launch an inquiry. We are inquiring and have inspected the mess facilities on campus, which separately serve boys and girls," Tenali Sub-Collector V Sanjana Simha told PTI.

Simha said officials examined compliance with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) norms, including grocery storage, food cooking procedures, sanitation standards, and the quality of water used for drinking and cleaning. Food safety officials collected samples of food and water.

The institution sources half of its water from the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) and the rest from private tankers, she said. Although the institution has a water filtration system, samples were sent for laboratory analysis, and reports are expected by Friday or Saturday, the sub-collector added.

Over 6,000 eat on campus daily

According to Simha, around 6,000 students eat on campus daily, and about 50 of them have been showing symptoms of food poisoning each day since October 29. The institution’s management informed officials that only a small number of students had shown symptoms, but the district administration was not convinced and sought detailed explanations, she said.

Some students were admitted to a private hospital, while others were treated on campus, Simha said, adding that the exact cause of the food poisoning is yet to be determined. The district administration emphasised the need to strictly maintain hygiene and proper food storage practices on campus.

Students reportedly told officials that similar issues had occurred earlier and that protests had been held over the quality of food in the college. "For the past two days, the institution has stopped purchasing chicken and eggs from its regular vendor to prevent further issues," Simha added.