‘Highly unhygienic’ conditions and poor amenities greeted the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials at the government hostels in the State, when they inspected the facilities.
Following the directions of the ACB Director General, the sleuths made surprise checks at some hostels in the districts recently. They found several irregularities as a result of which the inmates are facing severe hardship.
The officials checked records pertaining to stocks, strength of inmates, sanitation, toilets, drinking water, classrooms and menu in about 12 hostels in Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Guntur, Krishna, East and West Godavari and other districts.
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The checks revealed that wardens were not maintaining records properly and were not following the menu prescribed by the government. The situation was further complicated by the fact that senior officials concerned had not visited the hostels to inspect their functioning for quite some time now.
Krishna District ACB DSP V. Gopala Krishna told The Hindu that officials had verified Vissannapet Tribal Welfare Hostel and Prakash Nagar BC Welfare Hostel (at Payakaraopet) in Krishna district. ACB officials conducted surprise checks at Integrated Hostel, Kovvali and BC Welfare Hostel in Jangareddygudem in West Godavari district.
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“As per norms, the staff should serve egg five days a week and five eggs during Mid Day Meals. Eggs are not being supplied to some hostels and officials are maintaining false records by submitting fake bills. Likewise, in many hostels protein food like groundnuts and ‘raagi malt’ is not served to the inmates,” Krishna District ACB DSP V. Gopala Krishna said. He said students were suffering because of the shortage of toilets, while inflated student strength had been found at some hostels.
“A report will be submitted to the government on the irregularities. The ACB sleuths will investigate into the false records and bills, misuse of funds and other malpractice,” he said.