KURNOOL: Students of several social welfare hostels in the district are spending sleepless nights as they are exposed to winter chill due to broken doors and damaged windows of rooms, besides mosquito menace.
There are 162 hostels in the district, which are maintained by various government departments. Of the total, 71 are social welfare, 78 BC welfare and 13 tribal welfare hostels. About 60% of hostels are being run in rented buildings. More than 15,000 students are staying in the government hostels.
When TNIE visited a BC welfare hostel in Kurnool city, students were found sleeping on the floor in the winter. The hostel does not have basic infrastructure facilities. The poor sanitation has resulted in mosquito menace. “We have been facing severe hardship since the onset of winter,’’ a ninth class student, who did not wish to be named, told TNIE. “We are not having proper sleep at night due to lack of bedsheets,’’ he said.
Another student was quick to add that they were not given bedsheets and mats for the past two years. “We used to suffer from fever, cold, cough and throat infection as we are exposed to winter chill in hostel rooms without proper doors and windows,” he added.
“Students of about 90% of government-run hostels have been facing hardship due to non-provision of bedsheets, carpets, trunk boxes and other material. Funds are not being released for proper maintenance of hostels,” said BC Hostel Welfare Officers’ Association district president P Satyanarayana Raju.
D Sunkanna, a parent, said the government should construct buildings with basic amenities for the hostels.
District BC Welfare Officer K Venkata Lakshmi said they sent proposals to the government for supply bedsheets, carpets and other materials to students a few months ago. But there has been no response from the government so far. Some students are getting bedsheets from their houses, while others are adjusting with old ones. There are also instances where officials provided bedsheets to students with their own money. “The BC Welfare Department has taken steps to ensure proper maintenance of hostels,” she said.