The pathetic condition of Kacheguda SC Hostel in Hyderabad city – A report by the Campaign for the elimination of Caste discrimination in education institutions.
As decided in the 3rd meeting of the Campaign for the elimination of caste discrimination in education institutions, a 8 members team consisting of
1. Avula Balanatham, Founder president, Scheduled Castes Rights Protection Society- AP.
2. Prem Kumar, founder president Andhra Pradesh Ambedkar Youth Association
3. Kadaram Yadagiri, Member, SC, ST Vigilance and Monitoring Committee, Hyderabad District
4. B.Karthik Navayan, Programme Officer, National Dalit Forum
5. M. Mandakini, Advocate and Activist
6. Ambunayak, Lambadi Hakkula Vedika
7. Venkatesh, Chatri, (campaign for the housing and tenurial rights)
8. E.Sudarshan, Advocate and activist
visited Kacheguda SC hostel on 19th February 2010, and observed the physical conditions and other facilities in the hostel and also interacted with the students.
Findings:
The hostel is completely neglected by the officials,
1. There is no proper electrical wiring; the wires are hanging everywhere on the walls.
2. Electrical wires are lying even on the floor
3. The water taps are giving electricity shocks while switching on and off.
4. There are 60 rooms in the three floors and in each room about 15 to 16 students are accommodated.
5. Mess was not functioning from last one year and students have to cook their own food.
6. If there is no electricity supply then students have to cook their food with firewood.
7. The students told the Team that there are 6 sweepers working in the hostel to clean but the premises of the hostel was very unclean.
8. There are only 12 bathrooms, 12 toilets for 600 students, and the bathrooms do not have doors.
9. Five years back the authorities had constructed 12 bathrooms in the 2nd floor, but they are not connected with water supply so they remain unused.
10. No doctor was appointed though it is necessary, and even there is no visiting doctor to check the health of the 600 students.
11. The mess Bills, Rs 525/- per month for each student, have not been released for 9 months, so the students are seeking private jobs to feed themselves.
12. The people around the Hostel are dumping garbage just beside the hostel, and it is producing mosquitoes.
The State and Central governments are claiming that they are providing all facilities to the Dalits for their empowerment, in the budgets we have seen thousands of crores are being allocated for the Dalits, but where is all the money going?
It seem the upper caste governments and officials are unable to digest the fact that Dalits are studying—if not, then why are all the social welfare hostels in such pathetic condition? It may be the hidden plan of the upper castes to keep Dalit students away from education.
After seeing the situation of the Kacheguda SC Hostel, which is located in the heart of Hyderabad city, one can easily understand the condition of SC, ST Hostels in the districts and mandal head quarters.
The students are demanding urgent action in the following areas:
1) Proper electricity wiring should be done
2) Bathroom doors should be arranged
3) Water connection should be given to the bathrooms
4) Mess should be re-opened immediately
5) Mess bills should be released
6) Buckets, mugs, plates should be provided
7) Library should be established
8) Dustbins should be provided
9) Doctor should be appointed
10) People in the neighbourhood should stop dumping garbage beside hostel.
A students’ team went to the Executive Director of Social Welfare department and submitted a memorandum with the above demands on 20th Feb 2010. He replied that he will look in to the matter. But it will not end with this representation and we the Campaign for the elimination of caste discrimination in education institutions are determined to meet the higher officials for immediate remedial action.
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Thanks and regards,
B.Karthik Navayan
Programme Officer,
National Dalit Forum
On behalf of The Campaign for the elimination of the caste discrimination in education institutions.
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