Chennai: Row erupts after Tambaram hostel inmates clean up drain

CHENNAI: Staff of a hostel of a government-aided school in East Tambaram found themselves in the midst of a controversy after photos of its children allegedly cleaning up mud accumulated in the drain inside the hostel premises were shared widely.

A group of young boy students of CSI Corley School Hostel on M.E.S. Road cleaning up mud accumulated in the drain was shared extensively on social media platform WhatsApp. The students were seen bare chested and some of them were wearing only undergarments. The photos further showed students digging the mud with bare hands and clearing it from the spot.

There are about 60 students in the hostel. Mud had accumulated at the spot connecting the drain inside the hostel with the drainage distribution line below the pavement along M.E.S. Road. A section of the hostel staff said the drain transported grey water from the hostel and denied reports that the students were clearing sewage. They also expressed their regret. The hostel,  however, did not issue any formal statement about the incident.

Zahiruddin Mohammed, Member of Child Welfare Committee of Kancheepuram district, made an inspection. He later told reporters that making hostel inmates to do such kind of work was prohibited under the Juvenile Justice Act.Officials from Tambaram revenue division also made an inspection and said their report would be submitted to Kancheepuram district administration.