Mysuru: The State Government makes all efforts by implementing its policies for the benefit of the student community and one of the efforts in this direction is the facilities for the Backward Classes and Minorities (BCM) Hostels.

Sadly, however, the people concerned with running these hostels do not seem to have any heart or care for the welfare of the students in these hostels. This shocking picture emerged at the Devaraja Urs BCM Post Graduate Hostel for Boys at  Gangothri Layout, behind Coffee Board, where the students are being served rice which is not edible and sambar with hardly any vegetables or pulses.

Added to this, even though there is a water purifier unit, it is non-functional and the hostel compound is full of pigs and dogs. This is the scenario in a government-run hostel in the heart of the city, right opposite to that abode of learning, Manasagangothri.

The Government has spent lakhs of rupees for the benefit of BCM students. However, there are lot of problems that persist in such hostels and this one is a glaring example of the official apathy.

The quality of food served in this hostel with 106 post graduate students is so poor that the students have to forgo eating it, to save their own health. The sambar is watery and hardly has any vegetables or pulses. And if it is found one can   immediately make out that they are discarded vegetables and pulses with worms, complain the students.

The pongal served for breakfast is very watery and the food is not prepared according to the menu. The quantity of food served is also very little. The two chicken pieces served every month on first and fifteenth is so small that they just do not feel that they have eaten anything, is one of the major complaints of the students.

A few days ago, the students underwent physical examination but the doctors gave them prescriptions asking them to buy medicines from outside. In a place where the atmosphere should be clean, the students have to face the brunt of pigs and dogs and there is always a threat of communicable diseases from such animals, fear the students.

Even though complaints have been lodged with the Hostel Wardens they have just ignored it.

To assess the situation, the Mysuru District Backward Classes Welfare Department Officers visited the hostel on Oct. 27, but so far nothing has come out of the visit, said the students speaking to Star of Mysore.

BCM District Officer clarifies: Reacting to the complaints of the students regarding the condition at the BCM Hostel for Boys in Gangothri Layout, BCM District Officer G.S. Somashekar told Star of Mysore this morning that he had visited the hostel last evening and spent almost two hours checking the complaints.

“The complaint from the students regarding the quality of food is not really true as I checked the food and found that the quality was good. The CCTV footage which we have also confirms this and anyone can view the footage to see how the food served is like. However, there is a complaint against a particular cook out of the four cooks and he has been warned,” said Somashekar.

Asked about the complaints about rice, he said that the rice comes from PDS (public distribution system) outlets and on some days there could be a problem with the quality.

On the pig and dog menace in the hostel, he said that the Zilla Panchayat Engineering Department had already called for a tender to put up the compound and the money had also been sanctioned. The work will be completed in another two months.

Regarding the water and other facilities, the Officer said that all complaints would be attended to shortly.

Before the students’ health deteriorates for lack of nutritious food, the authorities concerned should take steps to solve the  problem.

— S. Raghu, BCM Hostel student