‘Insects in food’: Protest at Lady Hardinge

New Delhi: Several students at Delhi’s Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) have raised concerns over food safety and living conditions on the campus, alleging repeated instances of insect-infested food being served in the mess and incidents of dog bites linked to the presence of stray canines on hostel premises.

Other concerns flagged by the students include poor hygiene, waterlogging in hostel areas and extreme heat in rooms in the absence of adequate cooling arrangements.

The issue came to light after social media posts showed visuals purportedly from the campus, including cooked food with visible insects or larvae and packs of stray dogs roaming freely inside hostel corridors, washrooms and even rooms.

According to students who spoke to TOI on condition of anonymity, complaints about food quality are frequent. “There have been several instances where students realised only after eating that the food was contaminated. Some have even fallen ill,” a student said, alleging that repeated complaints about insects in meals have not led to any improvement.

The students said efforts to replace the mess contractor have been stalled over pending dues. “We are told a fresh tender can only be issued if the outstanding mess fees are cleared. In the past, many students stopped using the mess and withheld payment due to poor quality of food,” a student said.

According to them, stray dogs entering the hostel premises have become a recurring safety concern. “There have been cases of dog bites, but nothing has changed despite repeated complaints. When we raise this, we’re told we can move out, but staying outside is not affordable,” another student said.

She added that infrastructure constraints worsen the problem. “Poor ventilation forces us to keep the doors open at night. That makes it easier for the dogs to enter; once, I woke up to find one sleeping next to me.”

The students said the situation is particularly difficult in summer, with inadequate cooling arrangements making the hostel rooms “unbreathable”. They have asked for permission to install ACs at their own cost.

LHMC director Sarita Beri told TOI that the administration is looking into the matter and is in discussions with students to address the issues.

According to Supreme Court directives on stray dogs, educational institutions, hospitals and other public premises are required to remove them from their campuses, secure such spaces and prevent their entry.

Though there is no official data available on the number of incidents of dog bites or complaints received by the LHMC administration, screenshots of WhatsApp messages from a common hostel group indicate at least three reported cases in recent months — on Feb 17 and 19 and March 17.

On Monday, students staged a protest on the campus demanding immediate corrective action. They were seen carrying posters that read: “If warden gets AC, why can’t students?”, “We left our homes for education, not neglect”, and “We deserve dignity”. A meeting was held between them and the students’ union on Tuesday.

Federation of All India Medical Association has extended solidarity with the protesting students and sought intervention from Union health ministry and National Medical Commission.