MADURAI: Contaminated water, poor sanitation, and inadequate toilets are some of the issues students grapple with in the hostel of Tamil Nadu Government Polytechnic College in Jaihindpuram. The poor upkeep of the hostel is posing serious health risks for the 134 students staying at the hostel premises.
Recently, 13 hostellers alleged that they fell ill with jaundice due to consumption of contaminated water, while several others suffered from fever and diarrhoea. The students who developed jaundice in July are undergoing treatment at their respective native towns.
The students alleged that the hostel, which is more than five decades old, has been poorly maintained. The bathrooms are not cleaned regularly and that only one person is available for sanitation work, making it difficult to maintain hygiene on the premises.
Speaking to TNIE, M Sundar (name changed) said, “Students are forced to drink corporation water directly because the RO plant has become defunct. Because the overhead tank is not cleaned regularly, worms can be found in drinking water. Despite informing hostel authorities, no action was taken.”
Another student, N Vishnu (name changed) said there was no water for drinking, bathing and even using the toilets a few days ago. “We use mobile phone lights to reach toilets. Several portions of the hostel lack adequate lighting. Some rooms do not have functioning fans or lights. Water seeps from the walls during rain,” he alleged.
He further stated that there is no dispensary on the hostel campus. “If any student falls ill, they have to go to GH,” Following the complaints, officials from the health department inspected the hostel and confirmed that the students are staying in unhygienic conditions. Health officials also took down the names of the students who had jaundice and other ailments.
A senior official from health department said, “There are no cases of jaundice reported in the GHs so far. On Monday, corporation workers along with sanitation workers of the hostel will carry out cleanliness work under the supervision of a health official.”