MKU students stage protest condemning shabby hostel facilities

Three hostels — Kurunji, Maligai and Thamarai — together shelter over 200 girl students in the university.

MADURAI: Over 100 girl students at Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) staged a protest in front of Vice-Chancellor J Kumar’s residence on Monday night condemning the shabby and neglected amenities at their hostels. Water scarcity, power failure, unhygienic toilets, sub-standard food, broken doors and windows, snakes inside hostels, conked out napkin incinerator, thick algae layer on walls, damaged and leaking roofs, and mosquito menace were some of the issues raised by the students.

Three hostels — Kurunji, Maligai and Thamarai — together shelter over 200 girl students in the university. The students claimed they faced an acute shortage of water from Sunday onwards. “The toilets are very dirty and since the windows are all broken, we cover them up with old papers. The dustbins are not regularly cleaned. Many students are suffering from food poisoning, and are receiving treatment at the MKU hospital,” a student told TNIE on condition of anonymity.

“The sanitary napkin incinerator fitted in the bathroom is not working, and the water tank is also leaking. Though we had lodged repeated complaints with the university authorities, no action ensued,” another student said. Vice-Chancellor Kumar later came down and assured the students that he will take steps to solve all their issues.