Gujarat Inspects 200 Schools After 85 Students Fall Ill

When 85 students at PP Savani International School in Surat complained of stomach pain and vomiting after dinner on Saturday, Gujarat's health officials decided enough was enough. By Monday morning at 6 am, they had launched the state's first comprehensive food safety inspection across every school hostel and canteen.

The response was swift and thorough. Teams from the Gujarat Food and Drug Control Department fanned out across 200 educational institutions, checking whether schools were following basic food safety rules. The inspectors didn't just look around and leave—they collected 114 food samples for testing and stayed until evening to complete their work.

The results revealed serious problems. Officials issued improvement notices to 61 institutions for substandard facilities. Ten establishments voluntarily shut down because conditions were so unhygienic. One school lost its license entirely.

Health Minister Praful Pansheriya made clear this wasn't a one-day show. "We will continue the drive for seven days and cover each and every village and taluka across the state," he told reporters. Officials received instructions to seek police help if any school refused to cooperate.

The incident that sparked the crackdown affected 85 of the 2,200 students living at PP Savani School's hostel. Most students received treatment and went home the same day, though five remained hospitalized in stable condition. The school's own hospital treated the students, and staff used school buses to transport them for care.

The Ripple Effect

This inspection represents the first time Gujarat has systematically checked food quality at educational institutions statewide. By acting immediately after one incident, officials are protecting thousands of other students who might have faced similar risks. The seven-day drive means every school in Gujarat will need to meet proper hygiene standards or face consequences.

The message to schools is clear: student safety comes first. When parents send their children to boarding schools, they trust these institutions with their kids' health and wellbeing.

Gujarat is showing that trust must be earned through proper food handling, clean kitchens, and accountability when things go wrong.