Told to vacate hostel, Panjab University students protest

Deepankar Sharda
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, April 29

The PU authorities today asked the residents of girls’ hostel No. 10 to vacate their rooms and adjust in other hostels.

Sources said the hostel, which was with the UT Administration, would be taken over by the Chandimandir-based Western Command, and the accommodation would be used for the stay of doctors who will be working at the international hostel, which would be converted into a 100-bed Covid hospital.

Chandigarh Tribune had on Wednesday reported that the UT Administration was likely to take over Panjab University hostels and turn them into isolation centres.

“There were a total of 25 hostellers and except a few, all others have been adjusted in other hostels,” said Prof Sukhbir Kaur, Dean, Student Welfare (Women).

“The building was still with the UT Administration and in this time of crisis, we have to extend all possible help,” she said. The UT Administration has appointed Uma Shankar Gupta as nodal officer to liaise with the Defence authorities for setting up the 100-bedded hospital at the PU’s international youth hostel.

“Few doctors are already staying in this hostel (international youth hostel). The makeshift hospital will be set up in a day or so. The process has already been initiated. Since hostel No. 10 is the closest to the international hostel it will be convenient for doctors to take emergency calls and hence the administration has decided to take over the premises,” said a source.

Protest by students

Meanwhile, the students staying in hostel No. 10, along with the members of the PSU (Lalkaar) protested the orders to vacate the premises.

“Last night, the hostellers were asked to vacate the hostel by today afternoon without any official notice. PSU (Lalkaar) immediately took notice of the coercive measure and called for a protest. PU students led by PSU (Lalkaar) today gathered outside the GH-10 and stood with residents of the hostel who were being pressurised to vacate their rooms,” read a press commune.