Chennai: Around 400 students in Victoria hostel in Chepauk here went on a hunger strike on Tuesday, demanding basic facilities, including better food. Some 100 visually challenged and 50 hearing impaired students also stay in the hostel.
“We don’t have basic facilities like a proper water supply for the toilets. Until last year when the hostel’s canteen was run by a divided system by the students committee, the food was edible. But the situation got worse when the hostel authorities gave the canteen on contract,” students alleged.
In the divided system, students committee members buy the groceries and vegetables. At the end of each month, the expenditure is divided equally among the students.
College authorities gave the canteen on contract from this year, asking the students to concentrate on studies. “Though the per day food expenditure increased from '50 to '65 for each student, the quality of food served in the hostel slipped from bad to worse,” students said.
Presidency College Principal and hostel warden T.Pramananda Perumal visited the hostel and sought one week to fulfil the students’ demands. After the assurance, students withdrew their protest in the afternoon.
