A month after mid-day.com reported on the inhospitable conditions at the Nair Dental College hostel in Mumbai, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Sanjay Upadhyay on Wednesday raised the issue in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, seeking immediate action against the administrative authorities.
Addressing the Lower House, Upadhyay pointed out that students at the hostel had been living in “unsanitary and inhuman” conditions for several days and called for accountability. He demanded action against Administrative Officer Dr Mala Dixit, claiming administrative negligence had led to the situation.
Concerns highlighted in the assembly and in the earlier media report stated that regular cleaning at the hostel had allegedly not been carried out for several days.
Garbage was said to have accumulated on floors, washrooms were reported to be in poor condition, and a foul odour had spread across the premises. Around 200 to 300 students, including medical interns, reside at the hostel.
The Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) said the matter was not merely about sanitation but also about students’ health, safety, and dignity. He urged the government to ensure that no compromise is made on the welfare of medical students and sought long-term corrective measures rather than temporary fixes.
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Preliminary information cited during discussions suggested that sanitation work had been disrupted after contract workers allegedly stopped work over non-payment of salaries. Upadhyay pressed for immediate corrective action and sought assurances from the government in the House.
The development follows a February 4 report by mid-day.com in which the Association of State Medical Interns (ASMI) alleged filthy conditions at the hostel and wrote to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Chief Minister’s Office on X, sharing photographs of unhygienic washrooms.
In its post, the association wrote: “Is this how we treat the doctors who treat the public?” It alleged that students had been living amid overflowing garbage and choked washrooms for eight days and demanded immediate intervention.
In an official statement at the time, ASMI claimed that the premises had not been cleaned for over a week, posing a serious health risk. The association also said similar incidents had occurred in the past, often during workers’ strikes, and alleged that no permanent solution had been implemented.
Apart from sanitation concerns, interns had also flagged a fire safety issue, claiming that the emergency refuge area on the seventh floor had been closed, allegedly in violation of safety norms.
The association had demanded immediate restoration of sanitation services, uninterrupted cleaning even during labour disputes, reopening of the fire refuge area, and long-term measures to prevent recurrence.
