BENGALURU: The four girls’ hostels in Mandya town under the Social Welfare Department are found lacking basic infrastructure; torn beds, no bedspreads, pillows, blankets or hot water for drinking and bathing. There are no computer labs, libraries and books to prepare for competitive examinations. Food is not being supplied as per the chart, and what gets served lacks quality. The windows lack mesh and the stinking toilets have broken doors. Two of the four hostels are unfit for human habitation. In all four hostels, the sanitary pads are not distributed since the last two months.
Upa Lokayukta Justice B Veerappa paid a surprise visit and discovered these issues when while he was camping in Mandya to hear grievances of the public in May end.
Taking suo motu cognisance, he registered four separate complaints against the warden, assistant director, deputy director of social welfare department, THO, tahsildar and assistant commissioner, and directed them to take corrective measures immediately and shift the two of those hostels to better buildings with good facilities. The Upa Lokayukta interacted with students and advised them to study well, be honest and bring good laurels to the parents and the country.
Justice Veerappa directed the authorities to provide nutritious food, make arrangement for consultation with female doctor at the hostels for health check-up at least once a month. He also directed them to furnish the details pertaining to the last two years including how many students were admitted, pass percentage of result in all the hostels.
In Dr BR Ambedkar Pre-Metric Girls Hostel, a total of 144 postgraduate students are accommodated as against the sanctioned strength of 100. Only one 1,000 ltr capacity solar unit is provided for 144 students. More particularly, the inmates complained that there is a stray dog menace around the hostel and no street lights infront of the hostel.
The situation is worsen in the fate of Maharshi Valmiki ST Government Post-Metric Girls Hostel as it is housed in the rented building with three floors which is not sufficient to accommodate 97 students. Mainly, there is no proper ventilation for air and light which is essential to the living atmosphere for human beings and hence it is unfit to be lived.
Diluted milk and diarrhea: Dr BR Ambedkar Post-Metric Girls Hostel in Mandya Town is being run in a rented building with three floors, with no proper ventilation and light. The students complained to Upa Lokayukta that atleast once in six months they are suffering from diarrhea. They also said, ‘a bucket of water is added for one litre milk’. The students alleged that a woman called Kavitha was visiting the hostel everyday to forge the attendance.