A college in Chennai chose the wrong time to declare its dedication to academics. Despite excreta flowing out from toilets and tadpoles swimming around the lower floors, the college has refused to grant the students holidays leaving them no choice but to remain in the hostel.
Everything on the ground floor of Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College hostel in the Purasawalkam area of Chennai is under water, including the dormitories, bathrooms and even the parking area.
Speaking to The News Minute about the hostel conditions, one of the students Siddharth Mohan Nair said: “We did not have power, food, and water supply for two days. The rain water entered toilets and rooms on the ground floor, and there are tadpoles. Human excreta was floating in the corridor. It was sickening.”
With heavy rains lashing the eastern coast, Chennai has turned into a large lake with several areas in the city, especially the northern part of the city inundated under a couple of feet of water. These conditions forced the district administration to declare holidays for schools and colleges.
Despite this, the law college did not declare holidays and students say they had no choice but to remain behind as the college went ahead with exams.
Students told the The News Minute that that there was no water or power supply in the college hostel for two days. On Friday evening, power supply was restored in the hostel, where around 150 male students live.
Talking to The News Minute, K. Mahendiran, a student said, "When we brought the situation in the hostel to the to notice of the warden and other college officials, we were asked to shift to the college area until the rains stopped. The college has just one small toilet, and no bathrooms. How can 150 students from hostel stay there? Also how we stay in a classroom for days together?"
Siddharth also said that many students were not able to sit the for the exams which were held on Friday. The students say they requested University officials to postpone the exams, but it was denied. The University maintained that it was not possible as exams were being conducted in seven campuses across the state.
Although he thought that the University’s response was “justifiable”, Siddharth said that it was still unfair on the students. “Aren't the 500 students attending the exams in Chennai humans (too)? The District Collector declared leave for all schools and colleges in Chennai, yet our college refused to grant leave.”
He added that students who could not sit the exams would have to pay the exam fee second time. “How is that justified? College conducted exams knowing very well many wouldn't be able to come.”
Here are more pictures from the boys college hostel:
