Mandleshwar (Madhya Pradesh): In a swift move, the district administration, on Friday, relieved Government Tribal Girls’ Education Complex hostel superintendent Hemlata Bamnia from her duty with immediate effect. The administration resorted to the action bowing down to the demands of some odd hostel inmates and handed over additional charges to Sangeeta Hirve, posted at Thangaon.
On Friday, over 400 girls from the hostel here in Mandleshwar marched to SDM Anil Jain’s office covering the five-kilometre distance in heavy rain. The girls were determined to seek the intervention of the SDM regarding the lack of proper infrastructure and facilities at their hostel.
A total of 425 girls are staying in the hostel, operated by the scheduled tribe department. The staff strength is less than the acceptance level. There are only five cooks, one waterman, and two watchmen.
All the students of the hostel have opened a front against Bamnia accusing her of harassment. Hundreds of students said that Bamania forced them to cook food at her place as well as clean the hostel and toilets.
“We are not being given food as per the menu, nor have we been given clean bedding material. If we complain to the superintendent, she abuses us,” hostel inmates said.
“We have also complained two or three times to assistant commissioner Prashant Arya during his inspections, but no action was taken. Finally, we complained to the district collector,” the girls added.
During a meeting with the SDM, the girls made it clear that they wouldn’t return to their hostel until action against superintendent Bamnia was taken. On this, SDM Jain confirmed the girls about action against Bamnia.
The girls agreed to return to their hostel only after reading the order. SDM Jain also arranged a bus for the students to return to their hostel. He advised the students regarding the solution to their problems.
Meanwhile, an investigation has been started into the complaints of the students. Bamnia has been relieved from her duty with immediate effect. Action will be taken against any person if found guilty in the investigation, SDM informed.
Parents disappointed
Parents of the girl students have expressed their dissatisfaction with the action taken against Bamnia. They said that merely relieving her from responsibility for the kind of mental torture that their children have been subjected to is insufficient. Suspension action should be taken against the superintendent, they demanded.
Meanwhile, assistant commissioner Prashant Arya said that a departmental inquiry is going on against Bamnia. All the complaints given by the students are being taken into consideration. Appropriate action will be taken as per the investigation report on the next working day, he added.
