Health wing orders closure of YMCA hostel mess in Thiruvananthapuram

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The health wing of city corporation issued closure order to the hostel mess of YWCA following an inspection by the health squad here on Saturday. The team received complaints of food poisoning on Saturday morning and during the inspection it was found that waste water leaked into the well.
Although the hostel authorities said that well water was not used for cooking and drinking, the health squad officials pointed out that the well was located close to the kitchen and leakage of waste water into the well was evident.
The hostel authorities were directed to clean the well and replace an old cement tank with a new one. Some of the inmates had raised complaints of food poisoning at the hostel. The authorities were directed to prevent the leakage of waste water into the well and to analyse the water quality after cleaning. This report will have to be presented before the city corporation.
The hostel authorities however said that it was not a case of food poisoning. "Viral fever was reported in 3-4 students and that's why they were asked to go home. Arrangements were made to provide medical care," the hostel authorities said. They further said that if food poisoning happened due to consumption of food from hostel mess, the staff would also have been affected , however no staff was reported ill.