Over 40 PTU students hospitalised after eating hostel mess food

A team had visited the hostel mess and found that the quality of food products was good but there was no cleanliness in the mess

HARJOT SINGH, food supply inspector

Mess was being managed by a student’s panel. Varsity has formed a committee headed by dean student welfare to probe the matter. SANDEEP KAZAL,

PTU registrar

JALANDHAR: At least 42 students of the Punjab Technical University (PTU), Kapurthala, were hospitalised after they complained of vomiting and diarrhoea after eating food at the hostel mess on Thursday night, district health department officials said.

PTU registrar Sandeep Kazal said as soon as the university officials got information about the students falling sick, they rushed them to a local dispensary, where they got first-aid and then took them to the Kapurthala civil hospital.

While the students undergoing treatment at the hospital stated that at least 80 students had consumed the food at the mess and suffered food poisoning, Kazal said that 28 students were hospitalised.

He added that there may be more students who got treated, but only 28 were admitted to the hospital.

Kazal added that the university has requested the civil hospital to depute one or two doctors on campus in case any other student faces any complications.

Food supply inspector Harjot Singh said a team had visited the hostel mess and found that the quality of food products was good but there was no cleanliness in the mess. “We have issued a notice to the varsity to clean the mess within two days,” said Singh.

Kazal, meanwhile, stated that the mess was managed a students’ committee and that the university has formed a committee headed by dean student welfare (DSW) to probe the matter.

PTU vice-chancellor Ajay Kumar Sharma remained incommunicado.