YS Jagan blames coalition govt for tribal student tragedy

Leaders of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) have strongly criticised the Andhra Pradesh coalition government over a reported health crisis affecting tribal residential schools in Parvathipuram Manyam district. During a visit to students receiving treatment at King George Hospital (KGH), former Deputy Chief Minister Pushpa Srivani, Araku MP Tanuja Rani, former MLA Rajanna Dora, and Zilla Parishad Chairman Mazji Chinna Srinu held the government accountable for the situation.

According to YSRCP leaders, two tribal girls, identified as Anjali and Kalpana, allegedly died due to jaundice, while over 120 other students are currently hospitalized. The leaders claimed that contaminated water, inadequate sanitation, and non-functional Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants are the root causes. They demanded Rs 10 lakh compensation for each bereaved family.

Pushpa Srivani stated that RO plants installed during the previous YSRCP government have not been maintained for months, forcing students to consume unsafe water. She also criticised the government for suspending local staff instead of taking responsibility for the deaths. Basic facilities, such as fans and mosquito nets, are reportedly missing, and sanitation workers have gone unpaid for three months.

Araku MP Tanuja Rani said that 129 students are now suffering from jaundice, attributing the outbreak to prolonged neglect. She criticised the Tribal Welfare Minister for visiting schools only after media pressure and said that the minister’s statements appeared contradictory, sometimes downplaying the crisis and at other times acknowledging its severity, which the leaders argued was an attempt to shield the administration.

YSRCP President and former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy blamed the Chandrababu Naidu-led coalition government for “gross negligence” leading to the tragedy. He stated that the collapse of the RO plant at Kurupam Girls’ Tribal Gurukul school forced students to consume unsafe water, reportedly triggering a jaundice outbreak.

It is important to note that there is currently no publicly available official statement from KGH, no death certificates, and no confirmation from the Andhra Pradesh Health Department regarding the precise cause of death of the two girls. The reports on jaundice-related fatalities are based on statements from YSRCP leaders and media coverage.

The party has demanded urgent corrective measures to ensure the safety and welfare of students in tribal schools, highlighting what they describe as the collapse of tribal welfare under the coalition government over the past 15 months.