Students in Hyderabad's JNTU hostels face drinking water shortage, poor cleanliness, & food quality
Hyderabad: Challa Ramakrishna, a PhD Research Scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad (JNTUH) and Convenor of the BJYM State Intellectual & Professional Cell, along with students, has submitted a letter to the university's Registrar, addressing several pressing issues faced by students living in various hostels. The concerns span across multiple hostels, including Manjira, Kinnera, Gautami, Krishna, Gayatri, Saraswati, and Kamala Nehru.
The letter highlights a serious shortage of drinking water in the Manjira hostel, forcing students to fetch water from neighboring hostels like Kinnera and Gautami. This has led to water shortages in those hostels as well.
Additionally, the inadequate tap water supply across the hostels has created further inconvenience, with students having to visit other hostels for basic needs like bathing. The lack of sufficient water in the kitchens has also disrupted food preparation, resulting in poorly cooked meals.
Water coolers, a basic necessity, are either missing or malfunctioning in many hostels. Notably, Krishna hostel has no water coolers at all. The condition of the bathrooms and toilets has also been a source of concern, with non-functional taps, missing urinal pans, and a lack of hot water geysers.
Cleanliness is another pressing issue, as sweeping has not been carried out for the past 10 days, and wash basins, toilets, and mess tables remain uncleaned. The absence of disinfectants like phenyl or detergents has further exacerbated the problem.
Food quality in the hostels has also raised concerns. The prescribed menu is often not followed, leading to poorly prepared meals and significant food wastage. Furthermore, staff members are leaving early, which has further compromised the availability and quality of food. The presence of insects and mosquitoes has increased, with no proper sanitation measures such as spraying being carried out by hostel authorities.
The letter also highlights issues beyond the hostels, such as a lack of drinking and tap water in the CRC Complex, which also suffers from a shortage of water coolers. Additionally, ongoing strikes have been disrupting classes, leading to a growing gap in the syllabus.
Ramakrishna and the student leaders have urged the university to resolve these issues during the summer holidays, as most students will be away from campus during this period. Addressing these concerns before students return will ensure that they can benefit from improved hostel facilities and a better living and learning environment. The letter was submitted by Challa Ramakrishna, along with students Sandeep, Ranjith, Kiran, and Jayaram.
