Female engg students at IIT BHU stage 'dharna' over bad quality hostel food, unclean drinking water

Raising the issue of bad quality food being served at their hostel, the female students of Banaras Hindu University (BHU)-Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) staged a 'dharna' for several hours, BHU sources said on Tuesday.

Students of the new engineering girls' hostel staged a protest outside the residence of the institute Director Professor PK Jain situated in the Tyagraj Colony in the University premises for over two hours on Monday night.

The agitators have alleged that despite repeated complaints, the quality of the food being served in the hostel has not improved. There is no facility of 'water purifiers' for clean drinking water.

They have also alleged that due to the consumption of bad quality food and water, the students often fall sick while many among them have suffered from diarrhoea.

Numerous students also have had to be admitted in hospitals apart from suffering from other health issues. The inadequate facilities are also affecting their studies.

Apart from the aforementioned issues, the protesting students also said that the internet facility is not up to the mark in the hostel.

They added that despite written complaints to the warden of the hostel and the Dean of Students, no attempts were made to fix the issues and they were forced to resort to agitating.

The students have said that if hostel arrangements are not significantly improved, they can intensify their protest.

Official sources said that Prof PK Jain met the representative of the students and listened to their grievances while assuring them of taking steps to redress the same. Considering the serious nature of the issue, he announced the setting up of a probe committee at night itself. The committee will give recommendations to solve the problems of the hostel.