Agartala, October 1: Tripura SC Welfare Minister Sudhangshu Das has directed officials to investigate complaints about drinking water and other facilities at two government hostels in Jagannath Bari following a surprise inspection on Wednesday.
Das visited the Dr B R Ambedkar Memorial Hostel and the SC Girls’ Hostel and interacted with students to assess the facilities and services being provided to them.
During the inspection, the minister checked the number of students residing in the hostels against the sanctioned capacity and reviewed the availability and condition of amenities provided by the government.
He also inspected computers and an open-air gymnasium installed at the hostels and sought details about their maintenance and utilisation.
Students raised concerns about the quality of food being served at the hostels and the services provided by trainers engaged for special programmes, officials said.
Das assured the students that their grievances had been recorded and that the department would take appropriate steps to address them.
The quality of drinking water was among the issues discussed during the interaction. Students reportedly complained about high iron content in the water.
Das said an iron-removal unit had already been installed by the Public Health Engineering Department, but questioned why the problem continued despite the facility being available.
He directed the concerned Sub-Divisional Officer and engineers to inspect the water supply system and identify the cause of the problem.
The minister also said a departmental officer would visit the hostel within two days to examine the issue and oversee necessary corrective measures.
On complaints related to food quality, Das said the issue had been raised previously and action had been taken following earlier lapses.
Some workers were replaced and new personnel were engaged, he said.
Das also referred to allegations of misconduct involving some kitchen staff after disputes with students. According to the minister, the workers admitted their mistakes and were transferred to other hostels.
“If someone accepts their fault and shows remorse, they should be given a chance to improve. But if irregularities occur again, strict action will follow,” Das said.
The minister said the SC Welfare Department would continue to monitor the functioning of government hostels and ensure that students received the facilities and services intended for them.
He said regular inspections were necessary to identify shortcomings and ensure that hostel infrastructure and essential services remained in proper condition.
Das also stressed the need for maintaining appropriate standards in areas such as food, drinking water and other facilities directly affecting students.
He said the department would follow up on the issues raised during the inspection and take necessary measures to improve conditions at the hostels.
