March 10, 2015
Updated: March 10, 2015 05:47 IST
The government’s tall claims of streamlining facilities at State-run hostels stand belied, as girls drop out almost on a regular basis owing to lack of proper amenities.
Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials, who conducted surprise checks at some government-run hostels recently, revealed a sorry state of affairs. Recently, a Standard V student, D. Deepika (13), and inmate of the SC Hostel at Mudinepalli, was expelled for not producing Aadhaar card. Though it happened five months ago, the issue was not brought to the notice of officials.
Deepika, a native of Vijayawada, did not return home following her expulsion from the hostel, but records showed that she had been attending classes. Surprisingly, neither the hostel matron nor her parents were aware as to where the girl stayed after she left the hostel. She was attending the Mandal Praja Parishad Primary School at Mudinepalli.
In another incident, a Teacher Training Course (TTC) student, who had been staying at the BC Welfare Hostel at Mylavaram, went missing for a day. The institute, following an inquiry, suspended the student and another inmate for staying away from the hostel without informing the authorities. District Child Development Officer (DCPO) Ch. Vijay Kumar conducted an inquiry into the two incidents on instructions from District Collector Babu A. “In their statement, the hostel staff said Deepika was expelled for not possessing Aadhaar card. Her sister, too, is a school dropout, and we admitted them to the hostel run by the Women Development and Child Welfare Department,” Mr. Vijay Kumar said.
According to ACB officials, the hostels did not maintain movement registers. “Officials, who are expected to visit hostels and inspect the facilities, are not performing their duties properly,” an ACB official said.
“It should be found out as to where Deepika stayed, how she managed to attend classes and why the hostel staff or the school management failed to inform her parents of her movements,” a police officer maintained.
Girl expelled
from SC hostel
for not possessing
Aadhaar card