Condition of AdiDravida (Scheduled Caste) hostels

“AdiDravida welfare hostel and human rights violations”

AdiDravidar and tribal children should be provided with free, compulsory, standard and safe education. Our Tamil Nadu Government has realized that education brings overall development to the society, and that through education we can bring great changes at social and economic levels. On this basis, AdiDravidar welfare schools emerged. Are schools alone enough? Children, when subjected to various social boycott and discrimination, lack the resources to properly concentrate on their studies. Hence it is necessary that AdiDravidar children are provided with the resources necessary to allow them to concentrate on their studies. What can we do for this? What type of action plan should be framed? How do we implement these plans? When all the above questions were raised, it was decided that these children should be kept in a safe place, and that they should be provided with proper facilities such as toilets, bathrooms and classrooms. AdiDravidar welfare hostels were framed with all of these points in mind.

During the year 2007-2008 as a total Rs.641.54 crores finance was sanctioned for the AdiDravidar welfare department. Among them Rs.492.09 crore (77%) was sanctioned for education purposes. In Tamil Nadu, there are about 1178 AdiDravidar welfare hostels, which function under the AdiDravidar welfare department. Our Tamil Nadu Government states that there are about 81,336 students residing in this hostel, approximately 69 students per hostel. Do these students live in a safe situation? Do these students live with dignity, enjoying all the rights, all the facilities announced by the government without any discrimination? Do they get all of these facilities completely? Still these questions are asked by civil society groups. Recently we received much news regarding human rights violations at these hostels: “worms in food provided at AdiDravidar hostel,” “brutal attack on students,” “no proper toilet facilities.” At the same time received the news “opening ceremony of modernized AdiDravidar hostel build at cost of Rs.35 lakhs.” What is the truth? Are these buildings constructed in good quality? Are the water and food supplied in this hostel enough and in good quality? Do these students live with dignity and equality? If not so, what is the reality? What background would be there? To find answers to the above questions, our EVIDENCE team conducted research in AdiDravidar welfare hostels.

Objectives and limitation of the research:
This fact finding research was conducted in AdiDravidar welfare hostels. During the year 2007, the policy notes of AdiDravidar welfare department contained various plans under 30 topics regarding “AdiDravidar welfare”. Among them, the 23rd topic explains the action plans of hostels, describing in detail intentions to provide additional finance, additional places, good quality food, and good building construction. Though these policy notes would broadly affect us, what is the reality? Do we reach the goal? What are the reasons which hinder us from reaching the goal? The main objective of the research is to find out the reasons for the hindrance, and to find out whether building construction is sufficient, whether the hostels provide students with good quality food, and whether the hostels are in hygienic condition- all such reasons and forces should be identified and shown to the human rights commissions and civil society groups. Our organization is planning to conduct this study in all Adi-dravidar schools and Hostels. As an initiative we conducted research in 41 AdiDravidar welfare hostels in the Madurai District. There are 46 AdiDravidar welfare hostel in Madurai District. Among them 5 hostels are for college students and IT students. These 5 hostels aside, our organization conducted study in the 41 remaining hostels. This research was conducted during August 2007 with 4 teams, using a questionnaire containing 37 questions which included general information, construction facility, quality of water, food, quality of hostel, violations at hostels, and welfare schemes. The students themselves have approved their reports’ validity, acknowledging their testimony with their signature. Our team has photographed the real situation at the hostels. Some students gave complaints about the violations which occurred to them. We consider these documents as important evidence for our research. Among the 41 welfare hostels, 30 are boys’ hostels and 11 are girls’ hostels. The following are its details.

Boy’s hostel:
1. Achampatti. 2. Kondaiyampatti. 3. Kottampatti. 4. Mankulam. 5. Palamedu. 6. Thiruvathavur. 7. Kallikudi. 8. Mathur. 9. Kalimangalam. 10. Vellalaur. 11. Solavanthan. 12. Thirupalai. 13. Otthakadai. 14. Alanganallur. 15. Sathirapatti. 16. Usilampatti-Gandhiji. 17. Usilampatti-Rajanbabu. 18. P.Ammapatti. 19. Nachikulam. 20. T.Kallupatti. 21. Siruthur. 22. Ilamanur. 23. Thirumangalam. 24. Samayanallur. 25. Gopinayakanpatti. 26. Saptur. 27. Racecourse-Madurai. 28. Peraiyur. 29. Pappanayakkanpatti. 30. Vadipatti.

Girl’s hostel:
1. K.pudhur. 2. Usilampatti. 3. Thirumangalam. 4. Balarengapuram. 5. Nachikulam. 6. Solavanthan. 7. Melur. 8. T.Kallupatti. 9. Peraiyur. 10. Chokkikulam. 11. Ilamanur. Among 41 hostels, 4 hostels function in rental buildings and 37 hostels function in Government buildings. There are about 1403 students residing in 30 hostels. Among them 1100 were Dalit, 216 belong to backward community, 76 belong to most backward community, and 11 belong to other community. On the basis of age, there are about 122 boy students between the ages of 5-10, 935 students between the ages of 11-15, and 346 students between the ages 16-20. A total of 903 girl students reside in 11 hostels. Among them 634 were Dalits, 228 students belong to backward community, 32 belong to most backward community, and 9 belong to other community. Regarding the students’ ages, 5 students are between the ages of 5-10, 616 students are between ages of 11-15, 282 students are between the ages of 16-20.

Research findings:
1. Water quality: Among the 30 boys’ hostels, only 5 hostels use hygienic and good quality water for drinking and cooking purposes. In the 11 girls’ hostels, 8 hostels have enough drinking water, 2 hostels contain no drinking water facility, and in 1 hostel the facility is not bad. Water quantity for drinking purpose: In 19 boys’ hostels, the students are provided with enough drinking water. In 6 hostels it is not bad, in 5 hostels there is no drinking water. Of the girls’ hostels, 8 hostels have enough drinking water, 2 hostels have no water facility, and in 1 hostel it is not bad. For bathing purpose: In 20 boys’ hostels, they have enough water for bathing. In 7 girls’ hostels they have enough water for bathing.

2. Water for bathing, toilets and for washing clothes: From our study we came to know whether both boys’ and girls’ hostels have enough water facilities for bathing. Due to unhygienic water or scarcity of bathrooms, these students have to go somewhere outside the hostel to take a bath. This occurs in 20 hostels. Of the girls’ hostels, 5 hostels suffer from this situation. Due to scarcity of toilets, in 26 boys’ hostels students have to go out of the hostel to answer their first call of nature. Regarding girls’ hostels, in 4 hostels students have this problem. In 16 boys’ hostels, students use streams and river to wash their clothes due to lack of facilities. In the girls’ hostels, in 3 hostels students suffer from this situation.

3. Food: Quality of food: Among the 30 boys’ hostels, in 25 hostels students are not provided food with good quality. Of the girls’ hostels, all 11 hostels do not provide food with good quality. They are provided with food cooked with poor quality rice, unhygienic oil, and poor quality water. They also suffer food adulteration and worms in food. Quantity of food: Our government had set a standard quantity that 500 grams of rice should be provided per day. Yet in 12 boys’ hostels and in 11 girls’ hostels, they are provided with a smaller amount of food than the government standard. Regarding pulses, in 28 boys’ and 11 girls’ hostel students are not provided with pulses as per government plan. In 28 boys’ hostels and in 11 girls’ hostels students are not provided with enough vegetables as per government standard. Usage of remaining food: In 18 boys’ hostels and in 7 girls’ hostels, the remaining food from breakfast is used for lunch, and the remaining food from lunch is used for dinner. In 3 boys’ hostels, remaining food is sold.

4. Forcing works on students: Cleaning of toilets: Students from 23 boys’ hostels and 6 girls’ hostels were forced to clean toilets. Cleaning of hostel rooms and its surroundings: Students at 24 boys’ hostels and 9 girls’ hostels are asked to clean hostel rooms and their surrounding. Students imposed for cooking: Students from 20 boys’ hostels and 6 girls’ hostels are forced to work in their hostel’s kitchen.

5. Building facilities: All 41 of the hostels lack a study room, library, television room, or indoor games room. The residing room is used both as dining and study room. Playgrounds are present in only 2 boys’ hostels and in 1 girls’ hostel.

6. Grocery items: Each student should be provided Rs.25/- to purchase soap and oil. But from our study we found that this is not implemented properly. In the hostels, these students purchase these items for Rs.12/-. In only 7 hostels, the students are provided yearly with sleeping carpets. The students were never provided with pillows or a bed sheet. In only 7 hostels, students are provided money for hair dressing. All of these basic needs are not provided in the remaining hostels.

7. Details about disease and treatment for students: Most of the students are affected with fever, headache, and stomach ache. All of these students receive treatment from government hospital or from their houses. Only in 4 boys’ hostels and in 2 girls’ hostels are these students given money for treatment.

8. Punishments, tortures and violations:
• Hostel wardens usually assault the students with bamboo sticks. • A hostel warden had slapped a student named Appan Thirupathi with his slipper.
• In some hostels students are affected by electricity leakage.
• Some students are very much affected by physical assault and verbal abuse.
• As punishment, some students are forced to clean toilets and are forced to work in the kitchen.
• In some hostels, some anti-social elements involve in indecent activities.
• Non-vegetarian food is not provided regularly. Also in some hostels, whenever non- vegetarian food is arranged the hostel wardens have alcohol with their friends in the hostel.

The above mentioned are some of the human rights violations which were reported by affected students to our fact finding team. Our research findings are not intended to blame anyone. Our purpose is to bring to light the many violations and atrocities are imposed upon these Dalit students. In order to implement action plan – How to overcome these problems? What changes must be brought in these organizations? – to find the answer for the above questions these research finding are brought out. The AdiDravidar schools and hostels should not just be safe buildings for Dalit students who are affected in the name of caste and untouchability. Instead, these institutions should work as “good organizations” which provide equal and social rights to theses students.

From our study we found that some buildings are affected very much. Some hostels have fewer facilities. Some hostels have adequate facilities, but are not regularly maintained. Our team has directly seen in these hostels water tanks and toilets polluted with dirt, filled with bees, and retaining a bad odor. We also found that the hostel wardens behave improperly, in a manner as if they are spending their own money for these students. Dalit students believe that government is helping them with free education and hostels. These students are in a mind set that it is a great help that our government provides these resources. These students are unaware that these facilities are implemented to bring equal chances and equal power – they think that violations and atrocities imposed on them are simply routine. This thought should be completely destroyed in our Dalit students.

In the year 1992, our Indian Government signed the UN treaty on child rights. In this treaty, article 6 states that each child has inherent rights to life. Article 19 states that each child has rights to be protected from physical and mental violence, abuse, injury, exploitation and sexual abuse, and negligent treatment. Article 26 states each child has right to benefit from social security. Article 27 states the right of every child to a standard of living adequate for child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development. Article 29 states that child rights should also involve developing the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the child. Article 37 states that no child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment or punishments. Our Indian constitution article 39(F) states that children should be given the opportunities and facilities needed to develop in healthy manner and in condition of freedom and dignity. Tamil Nadu educational rule states that no child shall be subjected to corporal punishment which would affect the child physically and mentally.

Our team points out to our government and civil society that all the above rules must be taken into account. Our government should take responsibility to implement these rules properly. Our team concludes that there is no proper system in place to monitor whether human rights are protected and that due dignity properly reaches the students who reside in AdiDravidar hostels. Various human rights violations and atrocities are occurring in AdiDravidar hostels in Madurai. On behalf of the affected students our research team would wish to express that our Government should take proper and immediate action.

Recommendations:
• Many human right violations occur in the 41 AdiDravidar hostels in the Madurai district. In response to these violations, Tamil Nadu Government should form a team consisting of retired judges to enquire these hostels directly. It is essential that the team should include human rights activists, child rights activists, educationalists, advocates, and Dalit activists.
• A monitoring committee or vigilance committee should be framed at district level. This committee should monitor whether the plans implemented in these hostels are a standard, adequate and complete.
• A grievance cell for students should be formed at district level.
• District AdiDravidar welfare officers should visit all the AdiDravidar welfare hostels regularly. They should monitor the building facilities, quality and quantity of water, and food. They also should monitor whether these students are given equal rights and dignity. If not so, severe action should be taken against the hostel staff. They should take action to implement proper standards.
• Government should sanction increased funding for these hostels in order to develop and improve AdiDravidar hostels.
• A doctors team should be formed. They should visit AdiDravidar hostels once in 15 days to diagnose and provide treatment for the students.
(A.Kathir @ Vincent raj) Executive Director Date: 10.9.2007