Focus on health of BC hostel inmates, officials told

Visakhapatnam: District collector A Mallikarjuna directed the officials of social welfare and BC welfare departments to focus on the mental and physical health of students and take steps to improve their skills.

In a meeting held on Thursday with the officials of the BC welfare departments, the collector said that they should work for a better future for the students. He said that steps should be taken to ensure a pleasant atmosphere in the hostel premises.

The district collector suggested to the officials concerned to take measures to make students in the hostels do exercise, yoga and a habit of reading newspapers. There should not be any negligence in providing nutritious food, he added.

Further, Mallikarjuna suggested that precautions should be taken not to be influenced by social media. He instructed the officials to organise advisory board meetings without fail and all the officers should go in coordination and provide better services.

Special camps should be conducted with the help of experts and efforts should be made to instil morale in them, the collector said.

Briefing about the future plans, the district collector informed that water purifier plants will be installed to facilitate safe drinking water and modernisation works of canteens would also be undertaken.

With the commencement of the new academic year, many instructions were given to the officials of the concerned departments regarding the facilities to be provided. Adequate precautions should be taken to avoid seasonal diseases, he suggested.

During the meeting, deputy director of social welfare Rama Rao said that under the banner of ‘Visakha Vidya Vasati Vikasam’, Rs 10.82 crore was spent on development work in 29 residential hostels across the district.

BC welfare officer Sridevi, DEO L Chandrakala, hostel wardens and other officials participated in the meeting.