Presidency varsity fails to meet handover deadline

Kolkata: Presidency University (PU) has failed to meet the November 15 deadline given by the state Higher Education department with regard to the handover of Hindu Hostel. PU Vice-Chancellor Anuradha Lohia has sought another 15 days' time for completing some work pertaining to the habitation

of the students.

State Education minister Partha Chatterjee has summoned the university authorities on Monday and asked for an explanation behind the delay.

On being questioned about the inability to meet the deadline over the handover, PU V-C Anuradha Lohia said: "We had not set any deadline. The government had given a deadline. I had said mentioned that the entire work will be finished off by January.

We tried our best to stick to it and everybody involved in the construction worked hard even during Durga Puja and Diwali but could not complete the work. We hope to complete the entire work by November 30."

According to the V-C, the state Public Works Department (PWD) that is in-charge of the renovation of the hostel has submitted a report stating that a little bit of work is still pending when it comes to the safety and security of the boarders.

"We are also awaiting the certificates of safety from the state Fire and PWD departments," Lohia added.

A senior official of PU pointed out some areas where work is still pending. The dining room and the kitchen need some more work. Some broken glasses are scattered here and there which need to be removed. "We will put LPG gas to use for cooking and do away with diesel that was earlier used for the purpose. We are creating a gas bank for this," the official said. It may be mentioned that the Hindi Hostel was closed for renovation in July 2015 and the boarders were provided with lodging facilities at Tarulia in New Town.

The university has failed to meet deadlines on more than one occasion in case of Hindu Hostel handover. The students had resorted to agitation for a long period demanding the same.