Rogue elements behind food poisoning at IIIT?

Hyderabad: Has the Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies (RGUKT), popularly known as IIITBasara, ad-hoc Vice-Chancellor Prof. V Venkata Ramana been made a scapegoat? Who are the rogue elements responsible for the series of food poisoning cases in the institute?

These questions are coming forth as the State education administration has gone into hiding following a food poisoning case that surfaced for the fourth time in last couple of years.

Voices are growing demanding the scalp of mess contractors. However, speaking to The Hans India, a senior faculty member said, "Some changes have been brought in following protests by students and with the appointment of an in-charge vice-chancellor." However, efforts to streamline the messes continue to suffer with the careless attitude of the contractors, he added.

R Smitha (name changed), a II year engineering student, who fell ill due to a food poisoning incident, vouching the same, said that neither the hostel administration nor the faculty could prevail over the contractors when it comes to quality of food. "We have to take whatever we get. Go to college or sleep with half-filled stomachs, when we don't feel like eating what they serve," she adds.

When asked whether they have complained to the registrar or the vice-chancellor, S Rakesh (name changed) pointed out that twice we had gone to VC and complained. "How many times are we expected to go to VC and registrar? Should we go to them every day, in the morning and evening to lodge complaints about food," he rued.

The students said they feel cheated by the government. Governor Dr Tamilsai Soundrarajan, and Education Minister Sabita Indra Reddy, accompanied by a band of senior government officials and district officials visited our campus.

All of them assured in the presence of the new vice-chancellor to resolve our grievances. The minister assured to address the nine demands in a phased manner. The issue of quality of food in the hostel mess and washrooms are a few others would be resolved immediately. New VC had initiated some steps to improve the conditions. However, the mess contractors don't care even about the VC's directives and university administration. "The mess officials only nod their heads before the VC, but, continue with old practices. These days we can't even raise our voice due to the presence of police on the campus," they added.