Presidency University Vice-chancellor Anuradha Lohia Tuesday urged the students, who are on indefinite sit-in demanding immediate accommodation in the under-renovation Hindu hostel since August 3, to wait for another six months for the work to be completed.
Asked about reports that three-four agitating students are down with malaria and viral fever, Lohia told reporters "I will request the students to take care of their health, not to lie on verandah but return to their present rented accommodation at New Town. They should take care of their health first."
Lohia said the present repair work of Hindu Hostel was taking some time and she cannot do much about the pace of work as all safety measures are to be looked into.
"But it is not like that there is no conveyance facility from the New Town premises, it is not like that there is no alternative accommodation for the (Presidency) boarders.
Lohia recalled that the Dean of Students had made arrangements to send an agitating student to hospital when he fell sick.
"We would urge the students to take care of their health. They have come here to study, hence they should first take proper care of their health," she said.
The VC said the institution will make arrangement of hospitalisation and medical treatment of any ailing student and the Dean of Students have been asked to be responsive about their medical needs.
Around 50 students have been agitating in the university campus since August 3 demanding immediate accommodation in two of the six under-renovation blocks of the Hindu Hostel claiming these two blocks were fit for use but this claim was not corroborated by the authorities.
The Hindu Hostel, adjoining the College Street institution, had been shut down for repairs on July 29, 2015 and 150 boarders were shifted to a rented accommodation at New Town.
The Presidency university authorities had last year assured the students that all the six blocks of the hostel would be opened for the boarders after completion of renovation work by the first week of August this year.
To another question the VC said, the varsity has sent an appeal to Higher Education department to de-reserve 128 seats - both in UG and PG sections - as many of these seats were lying vacant.
Lohia said all these seats were in reserve categories but "In last six years it had been a big challenge to fill-up these seats especially in Hindi.
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