Nizamabad: Colleges, schools ignore sale of unhygienic foods

Nizamabad: Substandard eateries are being sold around the schools and colleges of Nizamabad, Kamareddy district headquarters and Bodhan, Armor, Telangana University neighborhood and Dichpalli. Number of vendors are seen selling substandard food items and spurious drinks on the streets and main roads of busy areas without any hindrance.

Among such places is Dasnagar Road, Gurubabadi Dubba, where Girraj college and other colleges of engineering, polytechnic and corporate schools are located. Vendors in here not only engage in producing unhealthy food and beverages to the students but also disturb the smooth flow of traffic.

According to experts, such items are prepared at unauthorized factories and their sales surge on working days of schools and colleges. Nutrition scientist and Child Welfare Officer, Karra Sabita mentioned that it is very common of the pushcarts to sell unhygienic food and drinks outside educational institutions and added that children need healthy food and essential nutrition for their physical growth and protection against diseases.

"Teenagers who regularly consume unhealthy food are prone to illness. Such food might satisfy their appetite but won't help them grow strong.

As a result, they grow physically weak, turn pale and get mentally frail," Sabita said.

Consumption of unhygienic food items by children of age 5 to 14 may make them vulnerable to occasional diseases. Most of the edibles such as pakodas, kebabs, samosas, burgers and ice creams are purchased from uncovered carts and shops where most of them are exposed to dirt, flies. Students tend to rush these carts and shops in break hours, before entering the school and after the school hours as well to satisfy their appetite.

"During the rainy and winter season, the number of children affected by unhygienic food surges by around 70 per cent," Dr Venkatshwerlu, pediatrician who runs a private clinic in Kamareddy, told The Hans India.

He added that many unregistered beverage factories are being operated in the city.The doctor said that by and large, school administrations turned a blind eye to the sale of unhygienic edibles close to their premises. "Consumption of unhealthy food items causes not only illness but also poor body defense mechanism among children. Hence, children complain of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cough, high fever and headache. They also develop other complications," he said.

Dr Venkatshwerlu also mentioned that children who consume unhealthy food and spurious drinks lose appetite for fresh meat, vegetables and fruits as they developed a taste for unhealthy food. Doctor said that most of the schoolchildren do not prefer to take breakfast at home rather they would pick quick edibles sold by the roadside vendors.

"I receive at least 6 to 10 students daily with complaints of stomach upset, headache, sore throat, nausea and diarrhea. Most of them don't take lunch boxes from home due to the negligence of parents," Doctor said.