Four students of tribal hostels die in seven days in AP’s Manyam district

Of the four deceased tribal students, two of them were natives of Salur Assembly segment, which is represented by Deputy Chief Minister and Tribal Welfare Minister Peedika Rajanna Dora. Based on District Collector Nishant Kumar’s directions, tribal welfare department deputy director Rugmata Rao initiated an inquiry and suspended two hostel wardens for their alleged negligence of hostel inmates’ health.It may be recalled that 15-year-old S Ashok, a class 10 student, died due to anaemia in the tribal welfare hostel at Errasamantavalasa under Makkuva mandal on February 17. It was learnt that the boy’s haemoglobin levels dwindled to 7.5 and he eventually died due to heart-related issue.Three days later, on February 20 three students breathed their last while undergoing treatment. Anitha (14), a class 9 student at the tribal welfare girls’ hostel in Sarayi Valasa under Pachipenta mandal, was shifted to King George Hospital (KGH) in Visakhapatnam on February 17 after she complained of severe bleeding while menstruating. On the same day, Biddaka Sruthi, a class 7 student at PGT Gurukulam in Badharagiri under Gummalaxmipuram mandal, died while undergoing treatment at KGH. She suffered severe fever and was shifted to the hospital on February 14.S Nandini (11) of Jakkarabanda, who was studying class 6 in the tribal welfare ashram school in Dharanikota of Meliaputti mandal under Seethampeta ITDA limits in Srikakulam district died on February 20. She died after getting treatment at a hospital in Palasa.Alleging the lack of hygiene at the government-run tribal hostels, parents of the students and tribal leaders have been demanding a detailed probe into the matter. Tribal leader Aarika Chandra Sekhar said, “The government is not providing nutritious food to the students as promised. This has resulted in the students falling sick. The previous government had deployed special health volunteers, who monitored the health of students, however the current government has terminated the volunteers, besides failing to conduct medical checkups to the students.”Asserting that steps are being taken to resolve the issue, Rugmata Rao said, “A departmental inquiry revealed negligence of hostel wardens. M Ramachandra Rao (Errasamantalavalasa tribal welfare hostel) and Vijayalaxmi (Sarayivalasa tribal welfare hostel) were suspended. A detailed report will be submitted to the Collector.