CHENNAI: Unhygienic toilets, broken doors and liquor bottles in the restrooms – a reality at the prestigious Presidency College, where a lack of regular cleaning and water has left them neglected. Students urge the Higher Education Department and the State government to step in immediately to improve the institution’s basic hygiene infrastructure.
According to college data, there are more than 5,000 students at the institution but there are only 5 toilets on campus for students – 2 for men and 3 for women.
Men say their toilets are always in disrepair and have called for dedicated staff to clean and maintain them. Women, meanwhile, pointed out that the sanitary napkin dispenser has not been working for over a year.
Students report that several toilet doors have been completely broken for months. Also, female students pointed out the lack of dustbins, forcing them to throw sanitary napkins inside the toilet, resulting in clogging.
A male student of the Tamil Department alleged that, out of two, only one toilet is used by male students on the entire campus. “The sewage water overflows from the toilet near the Physics department. And the door of the two toilets is completely broken; students do not defecate and prefer other places and public toilets,” said a student.
Also, a male toilet near the Chemistry department is completely unusable, with no lights, and has become a home for illegal activities. “After class hours, students use the toilet for illegal activities. Both Western and Indian toilets are encrusted with deep grime, discolouration, and lack of regular cleaning and flushing. The foul odour, stagnant water, and severe grime pose significant health risks and vector-borne diseases,” lamented another student in the Chemistry department.
A female student in the Psychology department alleged, “Proper maintenance and cleaning are required for the female toilet near the department. As my class is located nearby, the foul odour is unbearable. We can’t even listen to our classes. We don’t even use the toilet. We control ourselves all day and use the restrooms in the hostel. Many of us don’t drink water because of this.”
The sanitary napkin vending machines remain non-operational. Without dustbins, students have the only option to throw them in the toilets, another student added.
A recent assessment by the Directorate of Collegiate Education (DCE) has exposed major infrastructure gaps in all 181 government arts and science colleges in TN, with inadequate toilet facilities.
Vice-Principal OR Devanathan told DT Next, “The cleaning activities are happening in all the toilets. Though we repair the equipment, students continue to break them. However, the issues regarding the poor sanitation will be addressed immediately.”