Students complain of water scarcity at Chembur hostel

With severe water shortage at a hostel meant for backward-class students in Chembur, hostellers are up in arms against the authorities of the state Social Welfare and Justice Department (SWJD). Students said with water scarcity in the hostel for the past six days, they have no option but to go to college without taking bath. “Many students miss classes by turn, while those who have exams are forced to go to college without having a bath. The situation has worsened since Wednesday, as there is hardly any water to even drink. Students have to buy packaged drinking water,” said Amol More, a student.

SWJD Assistant Commissioner (city) Avinash Devsatwar said, “There is construction work going on in the hostel premises due to which the underground pipeline was damaged and water started to leak. We will make temporary arrangements of water tankers on Saturday. The pipeline will be repaired in a day or two.”

Students, however, alleged that this was not the first time the hostel was facing water shortage, and the problem existed for the past two years. “We attend college and also work part-time. But, we get only two hours of water supply. Within this time, we have to store water, which is not sufficient for 150 hostellers. This time, however, we don’t even have water to drink,” said Subhash Tayade, a student of J J School of Arts.

“Neither are they getting the water problem resolved, nor are they making temporary arrangements for us. Only after we threatened to stage a protest, the authorities came to the hostel premises to meet us on Friday,” he added.

dipti.sonawala@expressindia.com