Students of two prominentuniversities in West Bengal have raised money and provided financial assistance to casual workers of the institutes, shut since March 16 in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak.Students of the Presidency University have recently given Rs 1,000 each to eight casual workers of the Hindu Hostel and a hawker while those of the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST), Shibpur have given Rs 2,000 each to 35 canteen staff."This is a small contribution from us to help these people who are in dire straits with virtually no earning due to closure of the university."We know this amount is very little to provide them relief but we want to tell them that we are always by their side," Presidency University Students' Council President Mimosa Ghorai told PTI on Wednesday.The IIEST pupils have formed 'Quarantined Shibpur Students' Collective' and raised the money this month for the initiative, BTech student Saptadeepa Chowdhury said.The balance amount of the total money raised for the initiative has been used for buying rice, pulses, edible oil, soya beans and soap for them, she said."We are also providing financial aid to those running coffee shops, laundry and other similar establishments on the campus," another student said.The initiatives have been lauded by the faculty members and netizens on social media."The students have shown how they can rise to the occasion. We are proud of them," an IIEST faculty member said."Laal Selaam to Presidency University Students' Council for standing by Badam Kaku, Ananda Da and the mess staff of Hindu Hostel," a netizen commented on a Facebook post by a student on the initiative.
