WATCH: Cockroach-infested food in DU South Campus hostel's food, students fall sick

Students at a hostel on Delhi University's South Campus have protested over the quality of food served in the mess, alleging that unhygienic and contaminated meals have made several residents ill. The protest on the hostel premises prompted Delhi University Students' Union president Aryan to intervene and inspect the mess and hostel facilities, according to a report by Dilli Tak, a sister concern of the India Today Group.

Students alleged that the food served in the mess was of very poor quality and that cockroaches and insects were sometimes found in it. They said the matter escalated after tobacco was allegedly found in a dosa served in the morning, following which Aryan and other students carried out a surprise inspection of the mess kitchen.

During the inspection, students alleged, vegetables meant to be cooked the next day had already been cut and left in the open, making them vulnerable to insect infestation. They also claimed that three packets of potatoes stored in the mess were completely rotten and giving off a strong stench, and said food was being prepared and served using such material.

Amid Delhi's intense heat and heatwave conditions, students said more residents were falling ill after eating the food. According to them, at least eight to ten students have faced health problems such as food poisoning, gas, vomiting and cholesterol issues over the past few days. One student said he had vomited twice that morning and that his condition had worsened afterwards.

Students further alleged that when they complained to the hostel administration and the provost, they were met with an indifferent response. They claimed the administration told them, "Only two students have fallen ill so far." Students questioned whether the administration was waiting for more students to become seriously ill.

The residents also accused the hostel administration of intimidating those who spoke up about the food. One student alleged that officials first asked complaining students about their department. According to the students, they were threatened and told to leave the hostel after their examinations will end on June 6th and arrange accommodation elsewhere.

They said anyone raising objections to the situation was being silenced with threats of expulsion from the hostel. Aryan's inspection, according to the students, also found problems beyond the mess. They said hostel rooms were in a dilapidated condition, with plaster and parts of the walls falling off, and that the hostel lacked basic infrastructure.

Aryan said students from across the country come to Delhi University's hostels to study and live, and questioned how they were expected to manage their health and prepare for examinations in such conditions.

After the protest in the presence of the DUSU president, the student union submitted a memorandum to the administration. Students said the warden and the provost then accepted their demands and gave written consent that, for the next month during the examination period, they would personally eat the same mess food as the students.

They also stated that if any contamination or deficiencies were found in the food during this period, they would immediately resign from their posts. The students said they would continue to raise their concerns over their rights and health and would not be intimidated by threats.