BENGALURU: Around 80 inmates of Post Matric Girls Hostel in Ramanagara, around 50km from the city, now have reason to smile -- their living conditions in the hostel have improved, thanks to Upa Lokayukta Justice KN Phaneendra.
There is sufficient quality food as per the menu chart, special meals during national festivals, fans and cots have been repaired, there are pillows and bedsheets, computers with the network, power backup, sanitary napkins, and incinerators...everything the girls wanted.
Upa Lokayukta Justice KN Phaneendra exposed the abysmal administration of the hostel and poor infrastructure during a surprise visit in July and passed the order to address the grievances of the students. Now, the district administration has woken from its deep slumber and submitted a compliance report to Justice Phaneendra by fulfilling the requirements of the hostel.
The inmates complained that they were not provided sufficient quantity or quality food, and were often given only rice which was sticky and had worms in it. If the girls pointed it out, they were told to throw the food and eat at Indira Canteens. The girls had several grievances, including that idli/dosa was not prepared on the pretext that there was no grinder. TNIE had carried a report with the title ‘Worms in rice, no pillows or fans: Karnataka Upa Lokayukta finds Ramanagara girls hostel a mess’ on July 9.
According to the compliance report submitted by the Assistant Director of the Social Welfare Department on 23 issues pointed out by the Upa Lokayukta, it was stated that steps were taken to disburse salary on the 5th of every month to cooks and provide breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner as per the menu chart.
Gas stoves and grinders were provided, toilets were cleaned and sufficient water supply ensured, fans and bulbs were fixed, mosquito nets were provided, cots repaired, two new computers with BSNL network were set up and two existing ones were repaired, books were stocked in the library, bills were paid to ensure uninterrupted power supply, and 5KV UPS power backup was also provided. Satisfied with the steps taken, Justice Phaneendra felt it is necessary to extend the benefits to all other hostels maintained by the social welfare department in the district.