'JNU not against dhabas on campus, but they've to follow rules, pay bills'

New Delhi: Days after the JNU served eviction notices on several dhabas and canteens on the campus, Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit said the administration was not against such establishments being there, but they have to follow the rules and pay their bills.

She said the owners of such establishments operating on the campus are "illegal occupants" who have not paid their rent or electricity bills for years. She said the university was ready to allow them to clear their dues in instalments.

"We are only trying to legalise. We are trying to say you pay the rent and electricity bill. They don't want to pay anything. They want everything free." the Jawaharlal Nehru University VC said in an interview on Wednesday.

Last month, the varsity sent eviction notices to several canteen and dhaba owners on campus asking them to pay the rent by June 27 and vacate the premises by June 30. However, the university hasn't taken any action against the owners as of now.

Pandit has also expressed concerns over the obscurity around the ownership of these dhabas and the types of workers employed there. She pointed out that none of the canteen and Dhaba owners who has been served the notices has gone through the proper allotment process.

"These are all illegal dhabas. Nobody went through the committee (JNU Campus Development Committee). Tell them to show me the data of ownership. Somebody fell in love with someone and gave the space to them. You don't do that, it is government property," said Pandit.

According to the officials, the allotment of shops within the campus is done by the JNU Campus Development Committee (CDC).

She also raised concerns over the cleanliness at these establishments and the possibilities of child or bonded labour employed there.