The Hindu : New Delhi News : "Mixed use" of land leaves many unhappy at JNU

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 13, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

"Mixed use" of land leaves many unhappy at JNU

It is "mixed use'' of land that seems to have residents of Lohit Hostel at Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University less than happy. With a wing of the hostel due to be converted into a girls' hostel from this academic session, residents of the hostel are protesting. Facing a huge crisis of space for women students, the University claims turning one wing into a girls' hostel will help solve the problem a bit. But the residents argue that the "conversion" will complicate matters.

"There are two other hostels next door, which can be used for this purpose. Everything in our hostel is single, and if they build walls in the common room and in the gymnasium to separate it for men and women, the ventilation will become worse. We are already facing a problem,'' said a resident of the hostel. Protesting the decision, the residents have also met the Dean of Students' Welfare to put forward their point of view.

"We have noted their complaint and are requesting them to cooperate. There is a problem of space and this will help solve the problem. All students have the right to protest, but we hope that we will be able to persuade them to see our side, as there are girls from faraway places who need a place to stay. We are building another hostel only for girls, but that will take over a year,'' says Dean of Students' Welfare R.K. Kale.

By turning one wing of the hostel into accommodation for girls there will be space to house over 150 students -- a substantial number. With many girls waiting for a place on the campus for a while, the space is desperately needed.

"No one will be dislocated. The boys can either move into another wing or a hostel of their choice. We are sure JNU students are sensitive and will see the need to do this,'' says Prof. Kale.

***

Delhi University is hoping that it will be able to keep the first day of college for freshers free of ragging. In a meeting of college Principals and police officers on Tuesday, a strategy to tackle this problem has been chalked out.

"There will be greater deployment of police at strategic places. There will also be plainclothesmen and women on the campus. Colleges have been advised to activate their proctorial boards and get their senior students alert. Outsiders who are likely to indulge in such activities will be stopped from coming into the campus. Complaint boxes have also been put up, so that students can put in their grievances,'' said Proctor Gurmeet Singh.

There will also be mobile patrolling around the campus to keep an eye on students. And to ensure that the new students know their rights, the North Delhi police will distribute pamphlets with important telephone numbers, so that students know whom to call in case they have a problem.

***

The TERI School of Advanced Studies has announced admissions for its M.A. programme for Public Policy and Sustainable Development. The academic session starts from January 2007.

Civil servants with at least seven years of service or sponsored non-government or corporate candidates with at least five years of service can apply. Those interested can download the forms from the school website: www.terischool.ac.in. The last date for submission of application forms is September 15.

Mandira Nayar

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