TOI reported on Friday that BWSSB had disconnected water supply to the men’s hostel of University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE) six months ago as it has failed to clear a bill of Rs 8.8 crore pending for a 19-year period. The hostel, however, has a borewell connection that has kept its 350 inmates going for the past few months.
Unlike the UVCE hostel, Maharani science college has no borewell. The college, also situated in the heart of the city, is now planning to get water tankers to meet the needs of the students.
The University has three colleges on its 11-acre campus. The other colleges have water connection. A faculty member said: “We are a women’s college. Can you imagine the situation when there is no water in the toilets? Our students and staff go to the neighbouring arts college within the campus to use the washrooms.
We cannot even wash hands.” The college’s pending bill amount is Rs 12 lakh. The college and the university are at loggerheads on whose fault has led to disconnection of water supply. “We have already forwarded the bill to the university. They are bound to pay it. Now, they are claiming they haven’t received the bill and asked us to regenerate it.
The bill is pending from February,” said an official of the college. The university vice-chancellor, however, disagreed. “They haven’t sent us the bill. If we can pay for the other colleges, how is it only the science college has a problem? It is their negligence. We will pay by Monday and get water supply restored.
Until then the college can arrange a water tanker,” said Gomathi Devi LVC. However, the loss is for the students. “The practical exams for MSc students are postponed. Attendance in classes has dropped. Only 16 of the 22 girls turned up in my class on Friday. We are trying to make up for the losses caused by Covid. But this is again disruption of academic activities,” said another faculty member