Deputy CM visits Peddapur residential school, expresses anguish over students’ deaths

Jagtial: Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu said the entire Telangana State Cabinet was shocked and anguished over the death of two students of Peddapur Residential School in Metpalli mandal of Jagtial district.

In August, two students died within two weeks at the Peddapur Residential School in Jagti after complaining of severe stomach pain.

The deputy CM said the district collector was instructed to sanction Rs 5 lakhs under the Indiramma Housing scheme if the affected families have no house.

The deputy CM, who visited the residential school and discussed the reasons behind the two deaths and four students taking ill, later addressed a media conference on Tuesday and assured that an inquiry would be ordered as soon as the government receives the postmortem report of the students.

‘Rs 5,000 crores allotted for residential schools’

“The previous government neglected residential schools in the last 10 years. Hence, the Congress government gave special focus on education and health and allocated a substantial amount of this year’s State annual budget,” the deputy CM said, speaking about the bad condition of residential schools in Telangana.

“An amount of Rs 5,000 crores was allocated for the construction of residential school buildings in this budget. Clear instructions were given in the collectors’ conference to send proposals for required funds to provide residential schools with pucca buildings and to acquire sites for new residential schools,” he said.

A committee of officials will be constituted to adjust the dietary requirements in line with the rise in prices of essential commodities.

‘Rs 50 lakhs sanctioned to clean up residential schools’

Assuring all help to the parents of the deceased students, the deputy CM said, apart from ex-gratia, the members of the affected families will be given jobs under the outsourcing method in Gurukula Society as per their educational qualifications.

As an immediate action, the State government has sanctioned Rs 50 lakhs for cleaning up the residential school premises, for getting rid of stagnant water and improving hygiene, and for the construction of toilets and other facilities.

He also said funds would be released without delay once they received proposals for the construction of pucca buildings, dormitories and dining halls in accordance with the strength of students.

Earlier after seeking reasons for the death of two students and also the four students who took ill, he spoke to parents and consoled them.

“Our government has the responsibility to ensure that no such incidents recur in future in the State. Hence, I directly came to Peddapur Residential School to learn what has happened,” the deputy CM said.

Stating that the State government understood the pain and anguish of parents, Bhatti said all residential schools in the State would be revamped and required funds would be provided.

Priority to the upkeep of residential school campuses

He said that, unlike the previous government, the maintenance of residentials will be a priority for the ruling government.

Listing the budget allocations for residentials over the years, the deputy said, in 2018-19, the previous government allocated Rs 79 crores for pucca buildings to residential schools.

“In the 2019-20 financial year, it allocated just Rs 70 crores and in 2020-21, a mere Rs 11 crores was allocated. In the subsequent years, it allocated Rs 9 crores in 2021-22, Rs 7 crores in 2022-23 and Rs 3 crores in 2023-24. The utter neglect of the BRS government in fund allocation culminated in today’s unfortunate incident,” he said.

‘Funds for a new Peddapur campus not released’

Bhatti stated that though funds were sanctioned in 2020-21 for the construction of a school building on a 12-acre Peddapur campus, the amount was not released.

“The contractor stopped the work midway as funds were not released. But our government is ready to release funds,” he said, instructing the district collector to get the compound wall constructed around Peddapur Residential School.

‘State will ensure doctors on premises’

Bhatti also said the system of doctors checking the health of students in government schools which was prevalent from 2004 to 2014 should be revived again. The paramedical staff used to stay at government hostels.

Bhatti instructed the residential schools' secretary to keep emergency medicines, paramedical staff and medicines for dog and snake bites ready at all times.

The quality of food and hygiene should be monitored in every hostel and proposals for bed linens for every student in hostels should be sent.

Ministers, MLAs and MLCs will eat food with students

Bhatti said the State government has decided that for a day every month, ministers, MLAs, MLCs and government officials should visit residential schools and partake in food along with students.

“The district collectors, district medical health officers in line with government’s policy should visit residential schools one day in a month, eat food along with students and understand their problems,” Bhatti said.