In a tragic incident, a Class IX girl E Rani has gone missing in Chaparai water canal in Dumbriguda Mandal in Visakhapatnam district on Friday, when she along with her friends went to take bath. Reports say that with are no proper facilities including no water supply in washrooms in their hostels, students are going to take a bath regular in the Chaparai water canal. Pointing out the incident tribal and child rights organisations allege that there are no basing amenities at government hostels which are putting students into the death trap.
The missing girl, E Rani, a student of Tribal Welfare Girls Hostel is a native of Guntaseema village of Dumbriguda Mandal. The incident happened at around 8 am on Friday when Rani along with two other girl students went to Chaparai for a bath and was caught in the mire and feared drowned. Responding to the protest made by Child right organisations, Chairperson of Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights G Hymavathi reacted to the incident and sent swimming teams to trace the missing girl.
The primary investigation by Araku Circle Inspector Araku Koteswara Rao revealed that students in the Tribal Welfare Girls hostel have been facing water problem in hostel washrooms, which is why they regularly go to take bath in the water canal.
Hymavathi ordered the district administration and Integrated Tribal Welfare Department (ITDA) to investigate the incident. She said that there were also previously complaints received on issues in Tribal welfare hostels.
Child rights organisations, Chairperson of Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights G Hymavathi also said that there are regular complaints received that students in tribal welfare hostels are suffering from fevers, sickle cell anaemia and no proper medical facilities are given. She told the ITDA officials to take measures to solve the problems else they will move forward to register cases under the Child Right Violation Act. ITDA is told to investigate the incident and assure to provide necessary help for her family through the government. She told the officials to immediately works on providing all the facilities for the hostels.
