AP govt playing with students’ lives, alleges MP Gurumoorthy

Tirupati MP Maddila Gurumoorthy has accused the Andhra Pradesh government of endangering the lives of students in government schools and hostels by failing to maintain basic hygiene and safety standards.

Speaking during the Parliament session on Monday, he expressed serious concern over recurring food poisoning incidents in government-run educational institutions across the state. He recalled several incidents reported over the past year in Naidupeta, Satyavedu, Srikalahasti, and other parts of his parliamentary constituency, saying they had deeply disturbed him.

According to the MP, unhygienic kitchens, contaminated water, poorly maintained RO plants, and unclean water tanks are putting students at risk. He sought details from the Centre on the action being taken and the coordination efforts with state governments to prevent such incidents.

Responding to his questions, Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary informed Parliament that the AP government had reported a few recent cases where contaminated water and food had caused students to fall ill. He said the affected students received medical treatment and were discharged, and that the state government had since conducted inspections across all hostels and rectified shortcomings.

However, MP Gurumoorthy contested these claims, saying the ground reality in Andhra Pradesh was very different from what the state government reported. He criticised the government for failing to provide even basic amenities in many hostels and for allegedly sending misleading reports to the Centre instead of correcting systemic issues. “Had the state acted proactively, these incidents could have been prevented,” he said.

The Union Minister also explained details of the nationwide Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman scheme and the guidelines issued to ensure food quality and safety in schools. He reiterated that it is the responsibility of state governments to implement the scheme effectively and provide students with nutritious, freshly cooked meals every day.