Indoor shooting range turns into dining hall
Deepankar Sharda
Chandigarh, May 20
Captain Vikram Batra Indoor Shooting Range, Panjab University, which is known for producing world-class shooters, turned into a dining hall during the 70th convocation of Panjab University.
For the second consecutive day, a full-fledged buffet was served to Panjab University staff and security personnel accompanying VVIPs.
“This is not the first time that a buffet was served here. The university is having less space for such events, and this becomes no hindrance for our shooters. It takes a few hours to clear the arena before practice. Otherwise also, there is no restriction for shooters to bring eatables inside the shooting range,” said an official, seeking anonymity.
However, it was perhaps for the first time that such kind of buffet was organised inside the arena.
“There was a huge rush yesterday. People were seen eating food on the table usually used by shooters to keep their equipment. This is an unexplainable thing. The university has so many AC halls and open spaces to use for serving food,” said a faculty member.
While university employees and security personnel were served food at the indoor shooting range, faculty members, media personnel and others were served food at the ICSSR complex.
“Sports arenas cannot be used as a place to serve buffet. It could have been organised in the parking area, but not inside the shooting range. This is similar to place of worship for shooters and it should have been avoided keeping in mind the arena’s dignity.”
Convocation telecast live from law auditorium
Unlike previous year, the university authorities telecast the convocation live from the law auditorium. Last year, a screen was placed right outside the gymnasium hall (convocation venue). The convocation, which started at 10.30 am ended after 5 pm. Parents and children, accompanying those getting degrees, had to wait for hours. Children and old parents were not allowed to enter the gymnasium hall even after the Vice-President left the venue.
