Minister for Social Justice Vanni Arasu (right) inspecting the new Government Girls Hostel in Coimbatore Saturday.
| Photo Credit: M. Periasamy
Minister for Social Justice Vanni Arasu on Saturday (May 30) said strict action would be taken against those responsible for food safety lapses in Social Justice Department hostels.Speaking to the media after inspecting Social Justice hostels in Coimbatore, along with District Collector and officials of the department, the Minister said complaints had been received from students regarding the quality of food served at a hostel, including allegations that a cockroach had been found in the meal.Based on the complaints, the Minister said he interacted directly with students and inspected the food being served. During the interaction, students placed three key demands before the authorities — provision of a bus service from the hostel to their college, relocation of a TASMAC outlet situated along their route and supply of quality food.Mr. Arasu said the District Collector had been instructed to examine the demands and address them in coordination with the departments concerned.As for action against the contractor responsible for food supply, the Minister said no one would be spared if lapses were found. “Students can do well in their studies only if they receive proper food. Appropriate action will be taken after discussions with officials,” he said.Asked about the allegations that an official had dismissed the complaint by stating that insects could fall into food in government hostels, the Minister said any individual found responsible for negligence would face action. He added that the department was working to improve facilities and strengthen welfare measures.On the centralised kitchen system, under which food is supplied to multiple hostels, Mr. Arasu said food was being served hot and that the system had been introduced to ensure uniform standards across hostels. He said the department would continue monitoring the arrangement and take steps to improve quality further.The Minister also said surprise inspections would be conducted to assess conditions in hostels. He noted that officials had recently interacted with students through video calls to obtain feedback and identify shortcomings.Regarding demands to relocate the TASMAC outlet near the hostel, Mr. Arasu said the Chief Minister had already directed that liquor outlets located near schools, colleges and similar institutions be shifted. Requests received in this regard would be placed before the government and addressed in a phased manner, he added.Highlighting welfare initiatives of the department, the Minister said efforts were under way to improve hostel infrastructure and expand schemes such as overseas education scholarships for students. He added that several measures had been initiated even before the budget session and that more development works would be taken up in the coming months. Published - May 30, 2026 06:51 pm IST
