Water Crisis Grips EFL University Hyderabad
Hyderabad: Students at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) in Hyderabad are facing a severe water crisis, with protests erupting over the lack of drinking water on campus. The central government university has been grappling with water scarcity issues, particularly during the scorching summer months. April witnessed a significant water shortage, leaving students in dire straits.
The Basheer hostel, housing male students, bore the brunt of the water scarcity, with washrooms running dry. Similarly, the Mahalaqa Chanda Bai hostel, accommodating female students, faced a similar predicament.
What happened earlier?
During a general body meeting held on 17th April, student union representatives revealed that two out of the three borewells on campus had dried up, exacerbating the water crisis. Despite the severity of the situation, the meeting was convened not to address the water issue but to conduct elections for the Internal Complaints Committee.
In response to mounting pressure from students, promises were made to resolve the crisis by arranging water tankers. However, these assurances remained unfulfilled, prompting students to stage protests outside the administrative office, brandishing empty buckets in a plea for immediate action.
As of now, both hostels have been without drinking water for over 24 hours, plunging students into distress, especially during the ongoing end-semester exams. Although water coolers were filled using water jars, students complained of receiving tap water instead of the purified RO water they were accustomed to.
Inquiring with the officials, what is their official response?
Inquiries with student council members revealed that discussions had been held with the Chief Planning and Development (CPD) office, but no concrete solutions had materialized. According to a union member, assurances were made to repair the water pump and provide water on the ground floor, but students residing on higher floors faced logistical challenges in fetching water. “At least providing water cans and drinkable water is in the hands of the union; we are suffering. In MBCH C floor, we don’t even have functional water coolers that give clean chilled water, instead, we get electric shocks or rust in the water where there has been zero maintenance of the coolers for months now,” expressed a student from the MBC hostel. Another student from the PhD girls’ hostel remarked, “Students are being made to run around like cattle from one hostel to another in search of drinking water during end-of-semester exams and in a heatwave”.
Expressing frustration over the administration’s inaction, a bachelor’s student lamented the lack of tangible efforts to address the crisis. “Despite student union elections held in March after a hiatus since 2019, communication with the administration has been limited to WhatsApp messages, yielding no substantive results. The INSAF panel, which emerged victorious in the elections, has reportedly failed to address the students’ demands,” says an anonymous student from the foreign languages department. Concurrently, opposition student parties have expressed discontent over the management of the student union, calling for the fulfilment of student demands and requesting a forum to address grievances.
It is noteworthy that EFL University, being a central institution, is grappling with such challenges, leading to adverse consequences for its student body.”The water crisis at EFL University Hyderabad underscores the urgent necessity for prompt action to ameliorate the predicament of students and guarantee access to this fundamental requirement,” remarks a foreign student hailing from Afghanistan. Notably, the university accommodates diverse foreign nationals who encounter analogous challenges.
CM Revanth Reddy reorganizes disaster management for Greater Hyderabad
HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has decided to assign critical responsibilities to the Disaster Management Department within Greater Hyderabad. He has directed officials to implement structural changes and redistribute responsibilities accordingly. In a review meeting at the Secretariat on Monday evening, the Chief Minister discussed the reorganization with officials from Municipal Administration, HMDA, and Musi Development.
Expansion of disaster management responsibilities
Recognizing the geographic expansion of Hyderabad, the Chief Minister ordered the Disaster Management Department to extend its jurisdiction to the Outer Ring Road. He suggested including GHMC, 27 surrounding municipalities and corporations, and 33 gram panchayats within its service area. The department will be renamed the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring Protection (HYDRA). The Chief Minister proposed appointing a DIG-level officer as the director and SP-level officers as additional directors. He also recommended special teams from GHMC, HMDA, the Water Board, city traffic, and other departments to join this new division.
The Chief Minister emphasized the need for the Disaster Management Department to offer continuous services to city residents, not just during floods or emergencies. HYDRA should actively address all issues faced by Hyderabad’s citizens, including preserving the city’s tanks and ponds, protecting government properties from encroachments, and managing hoardings and flex banners. Additionally, HYDRA will oversee water pipelines, electricity supply lines, drainage, flood management, and traffic control.
Focus on heritage and infrastructure projects
Chief Minister Reddy directed the acceleration of the Musi River Development Project, aiming to elevate Hyderabad’s international reputation. He stressed the importance of working towards the government’s goal of transforming this project into a landmark. He also ordered officials to take necessary actions to restore historical buildings and structures within the city. The GHMC presented a PowerPoint on various heritage sites, such as the City Library, Charminar Ayurvedic Hospital, and Nizamia Observatory etc. The Chief Minister encouraged exploring ways to develop these sites for tourism and integrating feasible ones into the Musi River Development Project.
The Chief Minister instructed Chief Secretary Shantikumar to draft a comprehensive reorganization plan, including staffing, duties, and budget allocations for HYDRA. He also emphasized identifying key areas where the Disaster Management Department can enhance its operations.
The meeting included Chief Secretary Shantikumar, Principal Secretary of Municipal Administration and Urban Development Danakishore, GHMC Commissioner Amrapali, GHMC Vigilance Disaster Management Commissioner A.V. Ranganath, and Hyderabad Water Board MD Ashok Reddy.
