Haldwani: Students at Haldwani Medical College were shocked to discover that they were being served food made with expired spices, milk, and rice.
On Wednesday, Principal Dr. Arun Joshi conducted a surprise inspection of the boys’ mess after receiving complaints about poor quality and stale food. He was accompanied by a team led by Senior Food Safety Officer Abhay Singh.
Discovery of expired food
During the inspection, the team found that the mess was using expired milk, rice, and spices in both the boys’ and girls’ mess as well as the PG mess. They also discovered spoiled paneer and food cooked the previous day still being served. Samples of oil and cheese were taken for testing.
Long-Standing complaints from students
There were long-standing complaints from students about the unhygienic and stale food being served. Despite a previous penalty imposed on the contractor, no improvements were made. Principal Joshi reprimanded the mess contractor and instructed the food safety team to investigate. They found black onions cooking in the pan and expired milk packets.
Students forced to eat stale food daily despite paying Rs 36,000 annually
Students, who wished to remain anonymous, alleged that they were forced to eat stale food daily despite paying Rs 36,000 annually. Many students even had to go off-campus for dinner due to the poor quality of the mess food. The food safety officer took samples and discovered the mess was operating without a valid license.
Legal action and recommendations
Abhay Singh, the Senior Food Safety Officer, stated that samples are being sent to the lab in Rudrapur, and a case is being registered for using expired goods and running the mess without a license. Dr. RG Nautiyal, Chief Hostel Superintendent, emphasized that the mess system has been problematic from the beginning and called for an open cafeteria with a token system.
Administration’s response
Dr. Arun Joshi, Principal of Haldwani Medical College, assured that the health of the students will not be compromised. He promised a thorough investigation into the mess operations and announced plans for new tenders to improve the mess services. “A full report will be taken from the Food Safety Department, and the mess operators will be investigated. Soon, new tenders for the mess will also be issued,” he stated.
