At least 200 students have taken ill in the last two weeks, reportedly due to the poor quality of food being served to the first year students of Srikakulam-IIIT on the Nuzvid campus in Krishna district.
The Srikakulam IIIT is being run on the Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies (IIIT-Nuzvid) campus.
On Wednesday morning, nearly 900 first year engineering students of the Srikakulam IIIT staged a dharna on the campus, stating that they had been suffering from illness due to consumption of the stale food that was being served on the campus. Nearly 550 of them are girl students, who hail from rural parts in the State.
On condition of anonymity, the students on Wednesday told The Hindu, “Nearly 200 students have been admitted to the dispensary on the campus with complaints of stomach ache and vomiting in the past two weeks. The quality of food must be thoroughly inspected by the authorities.”
The students on Wednesday skipped breakfast demanding that food supplier be changed and quality food must be ensured to prevent health complications.
Vice-Chancellor, RJUKT-Andhra Pradesh V. Ramachandra Raju and Srikakulam IIIT Director S. Hara Sreeramulu held talks with the students.
The Vice-Chancellor has sought nearly two more weeks to make all the arrangements, offering quality food and providing hygienic conditions.
Prof. Hara Sreeramulu told The Hindu that a decision has been taken to rope in the students in the mess management committee to maintain the quality of food and ensure hygienic conditions.
“The mess contract signed with a private party expired recently and the new contract will be signed,” he added.
The students withdrew their protest following the assurances given by the authorities.