Presidency hostel issue: minister says students' demand

West Bengal Education minister Partha Chatterjee Monday said the demand by students of Presidency University for being accommodated in the Hindu Hostel, being repaired by the state PWD for over three years, at the earliest is just and cannot be ignored for long.

A section of Presidency University students started a sit-in demonstration in the main building of the varsity from November 15 demanding immediate accommodation in the hostel.

It has to be remembered that these students have been patiently waiting for the repair and renovation work to be over for three years, Chatterjee told reporters here.

The minister confirmed that he received a report from the state PWD about the progress of renovation work of the Hindu Hostel.

To a question, Chatterjee said the government will look into the reasons behind the delay in renovation work of the hostel and find out who is responsible - the PWD, the Presidency authorities or any agency previously hired by the institution to carry out the work.

The sit-in demonstration of the students resumed as the the November 15 deadline given by the university authorities for completing renovation of the two wards of the hostel and throwing it open for students expired without the work being over, Sayan Chakraborty, a spokesman of the agitators, said.

University Vice-Chancellor Anuradha Lohia told reporters on November 15, while the government had wanted to complete the work of the two wards of hostel by November 15, the PWD gave report that some work related to safety and security issues still remained to be completed.

To a question if the hostel can be thrown open for boarders on November 30, Lohia had said "If the facilities (in two wards) are ready for minimum habitation by November 30, we will throw it open for the boarders."