Buxar: A Rs 13-crore govt nursing institute-cum-hostel in Buxar has been partially rendered dysfunctional by water and sanitation problems, forcing 142 female GNM students to leave the residential facility and return home.The institute, built on the premises of the old Sadar Hospital and inaugurated in 2019 by then Union minister of state for health and family welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey, was set up to provide nursing education and residential facilities to young women. Nearly seven years later, students have had to vacate the hostel because of an unreliable water supply and problems with toilets.The situation has raised questions over the maintenance of a govt facility built at considerable public expense, said Soni Kumari, a Buxar resident.Aftab Alam Idrisi, in-charge principal of the GNM Training Institute, said the 1HP motor supplying water had broken down four or five times. He also acknowledged problems with the toilets.Idrisi said the matter had been taken up with Subrat Sen, chief general manager of Bihar Medical Services and Infrastructure Corporation Ltd (BMSICL), Patna. Sen assured him the problem would be resolved and a 5HP motor would be installed.“We have sent the students home so that the water supply and other infrastructure can be maintained during this period,” Idrisi said.With students away, the institute has arranged online classes to prevent disruption to their academic schedule. “The students will continue their classes online during this period,” he said, adding around 95% of the infrastructure restoration work had been completed.Students remain unable to use the hostel despite its original intended residential purpose. The principal said students would resume regular classes and hostel facilities once the remaining work was completed. He claimed the hostel facilities were expected to be restored within four days.
