VIJAYAWADA: The High Court on Wednesday expressed serious concern over the appalling conditions in the government-run welfare hostels across the State.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Cheemalapati Ravi was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Kakinada-based petitioner Keethineni Akhil Sriguru Teja, who challenged the lack of basic amenities in social welfare, BC, and Gurukul hostels.
The court directed the Chief Secretary and the Director of the Social Welfare Department to appear before the bench via video conference on July 21 with concrete proposals to address the situation. It also sought a detailed explanation of the funds required to upgrade hostel infrastructure in line with the guidelines of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
Referring to a report submitted by the District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs), which inspected 65 hostels across 13 districts, the High Court observed that many hostels were in a deplorable state and students were being subjected to inhumane conditions.
The bench noted that children were being denied clean drinking water, nutritious food, bedding, and proper sanitation. In one hostel in Narsipatnam, 228 girls reportedly shared just one functional toilet and bathroom. Another hostel in Vizianagaram had 168 girls living in only 10 rooms with many sleeping on the floor.
The DLSA report also found that some hostel buildings were on the verge of collapse, posing a grave risk to students. “In these circumstances and under such poor conditions, children would be safer living with their parents,” the bench observed.
It further criticised the State government for failing to meet the objectives of its welfare schemes and for not complying with NCPCR guidelines. It questioned the effectiveness of the Rs 633 crore allocated for hostel infrastructure in the current financial year, noting that less than Rs 20 crore had been spent between 2019 and 2024.