Students herded like cattle in rooms

KOCHI: With the issue of substandard hostels in Kochi flaring up, more men’s and women’s accommodations have come under the scanner of the special squad formed by the corporation for the purpose. The team of corporation health officials raided six hostels on Thursday with notices served on four of them. “One of the two men’s accommodations provided by the College of Marine Technology was the worst of the lot. Around 18 students are made to live in each room which has the space to accommodate only six persons. They are forced to sleep on make-shift racks nailed to the wall as though they are pieces of luggage! The students complained of falling off these racks frequently. In all, 100 students live in a hostel which has only five bathrooms! It is a clear case of human rights violation,” said health inspector V Sasikumar, who led the squad along with health official K S Shobhana Kumari. He added that the water tank had not been cleaned for months. “Both the men’s hostels of the College of Marine Technology have been served with a notice. If they fail to comply with the instructions given, they will be asked to shut down,” he added. The other four hostels raided on Thursday were the CSI Working Women’s Hostel on Broadway, the SNV Sadanam Hostel on Chittoor Road, Keerthi Women’s Hostel and Matha Women’s Hostel on Alappat Cross Road. Of these, the last teo were found to be operating satisfactorily, according to Sasikumar.“The CSI Working Women’s Hostel on Broadway lacked basic facilities. It not only lacked sufficient number of bathrooms but also did not maintain the existing ones properly. The SNV Sadanam Hostel was also found to lack proper maintenance,” said Sasikumar.