Surat civic body fines P P Savani Institute Rs 1 lakh over food poisoning incident
On Saturday evening, several students of P P Savani School at Abrahma village fell ill after having dinner at the hostel canteen; Health Minister says 'negligence in duty by education institute authorities will not be tolerated'.
Every year, the P P Savani Group organises a mass wedding event in Surat for the benefit of orphan women or daughters of single-parents. (Photo: PP Savani Institure's website)
The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC)on Wednesday issued a penalty notice of Rs 1 lakh to the P P Savani Institute for allegedly not informing the civic health department about a food poisoning incident that happened on their hostel campus on Saturday.
Every year, the P P Savani Group organises a mass wedding event in Surat for the benefit of orphan women or daughters of single-parents. The Trust bears all wedding expenses. Political leaders, industrialists, social workers and religious leaders across the state attend such mass wedding events.
On Saturday evening, several students of P P Savani School at Abrahma village in Surat city fell ill after having dinner at the hostel canteen. The students complained to the warden and were soon taken to P P Savani Hospital in the school buses. All the affected students were provided medical treatment and subsequently recovered.
The next day, State Health Minister Praful Pansheriya directed the Food and Drug Control Department officials to look into the incident. He said such “negligence in duty by the education institute authorities will not be tolerated.”
Pansheriya also asked officials to conduct surprise checks in canteens and hostels across the state. Officials inspected over 350 such institutions in a two-day special drive and issued notices to nearly 100 institutions, noting that “improvements” were needed after the premises were found “unhygienic”.
Medical Officer of Health with Surat Municipal Corporation, Dr. Pradeep Umrigar, told The Indian Express on Wednesday, “It is the duty of the P P Savani authorities to inform the SMC’s health department about any such incident, but they failed to do so. We have issued a notice with a fine amount of Rs 1 lakh to the P P Savani authorities. Strict action has been taken to set an example.”
He added, “Taking note of media reports, our teams reached the canteen and found that the rest of the food the students consumed earlier had been disposed of. Our teams collected water samples and other samples from the canteen and sent these for tests and the report is awaited. We will also write to the Surat District Education Officer to check the premises of P P Savani and other educational institutions and ensure all the standard procedures of health and hygiene are followed.”
Kamal Saiyed is a senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage from Surat and the broader South Gujarat region and the Union territories of Daman, Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli. With a reporting career at the publication spanning back to 2007, he has established himself as a high-authority voice on the industrial, social, and political pulse of one of India’s fastest-growing urban hubs.
Expertise
Industrial & Economic Beat: Based in the "Diamond City," Saiyed offers expert reporting on the diamond and textile industries. His work tracks global market shifts (such as De Beers production changes), local trade policies, and the socio-economic challenges facing the millions of workers in Surat’s manufacturing hubs.
Civic & Infrastructure Coverage: He consistently reports on urban development and public safety in Surat, including:
Traffic & Urban Planning: Monitoring the city's 13-fold increase in traffic violations and the implementation of new municipal drives.
Public Safety: Investigative reporting on infrastructure failures, fire safety NOC compliance in schools and commercial buildings, and Metro rail progress.
Political Reporting: Tracking the shifting dynamics between the BJP, Congress, and AAP in South Gujarat and the neighboring Union Territories (Daman, Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli).
Crime beat: Armed with a good source network Saiyed has been able to bring out the human side of crime stories in his region ... Read More
