Student groups at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) have announced a '500 Emails to FDA' campaign to demand action against alleged irregularities in campus messes and canteens. The campaign aims to highlight concerns regarding food quality, hygiene standards and the conduct of staff members working in university dining facilities.
The initiative, scheduled to be launched in the coming days, will see students collectively sending complaints to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), seeking an independent inquiry into the functioning of university messes and canteens.
The move comes amid growing dissatisfaction among students over a series of incidents reported on campus over the past two months. According to the University Students' Struggle Action Committee, a disturbance broke out at the G-8 Mess on April 15 after some employees were allegedly found in an intoxicated state, leading to an altercation among staff members. Student representatives said they alerted the university's security department, which intervened and brought the situation under control.
More recently, on June 14, students claimed to have witnessed a violent clash between employees at the Refectory Mess around 9pm, further raising concerns about discipline and management practices within campus dining facilities.
"We are tired of the substandard food being served on the university campus. Complaints continue to emerge from different messes and canteens, yet no effective action is being taken. Therefore, we have appealed to all students to participate in a campaign of sending emails to FDA, seeking immediate intervention," said Arun Jadhav, Vice-President of the University Students' Struggle Action Committee.
The campaign aims to mobilise at least 500 students to lodge formal complaints with the FDA regarding the alleged unhygienic conditions and food safety violations on campus.
"During the last month alone, food served in university messes and canteens has allegedly contained worms, insects, mosquitoes, cockroaches and other harmful substances on five or six occasions. Today, there was also a dispute involving mess staff who were allegedly under the influence of alcohol. Despite these incidents, the university administration has not taken any concrete action. We are therefore launching a campaign to send 500 emails to the FDA, Maharashtra Government, demanding an investigation and action," said Abhishek Shelkar, President of the University Students' Struggle Action Committee.
Food quality has also emerged as a major concern. Students alleged that an insect was found in a vegetable dish served during dinner on June 10. They further claimed that multiple complaints have been lodged over the past 20 to 25 days regarding insects, larvae, mosquitoes and other contaminants being found in food served at university messes.
Student representatives alleged that despite repeated complaints, the Dining Hall and Vigilance Control Committee has failed to hold effective review meetings and that no significant punitive action has been taken against contractors involved in the reported incidents.
Against this backdrop, student organisations are set to submit a memorandum to the Vice-Chancellor on Wednesday. Their demands include the dissolution of the Dining Hall and Vigilance Control Committee, disclosure of action taken against irregularities reported in messes and canteens over the past month, and the implementation of stronger monitoring mechanisms.
In addition, students said they are compiling records of alleged violations and complaints from the past year, which will be submitted to the FDA as part of the '500 Emails to FDA' campaign.
Among the key demands raised by students are an independent inquiry into mess and canteen operations, strict action against those found responsible for violations, dissolution of the existing monitoring committee, and assurance of safe, hygienic and quality food for students residing on campus.
University authorities had not issued an official response to the allegations at the time of publication.
