Meeting on hostel repair next week, Presi students stop stir

A tripartite meeting on the progress of renovation work of the Eden Hindu Hostel has been convened next week after students of Presidency University observed a protest in the institute, an official said on Saturday. Over 30 students had commenced a 12-hour sit-in before the office of Dean of Students from 4 pm on Friday and demanded an immediate completion of the ongoing renovation of three wards of the hostel.

They, however, withdrew their agitation at around 4 am on Saturday after the intervention of Registrar Debojyoti Konar and university officials, said a spokesperson of the agitating students. "Konar, accompanied by the Development Officer of the university, reached the institute in the wee hours of Saturday.

"They said a tripartite meeting between the university authority, state PWD officials and students will be held early next week to know the latest update on repair work of the three wards of the hostel building," one of the agitating students, Subho Biswas told PTI. Based on that, the varsity authority will "hand over a written statement to the students" about the condition of the three wards, where the renovation work is yet to be over, he claimed.

"It is taking time to finish the renovation work of the three wards of the hostel which is over a century old, as all the details are being taken care of. We have convened a meeting where PWD officials will explain the situation to us and students," said a spokesperson of the university. The hostel was shut down for repairs in July 2015 and 150 boarders were shifted to a rented accommodation at New Town.

Over 60 boarders have so far been accommodated in the two wards where renovation works were completed in November last year, the university official said. Students, who had moved in two wards, have been "deprived of getting the minimum recreation facilities" like a library, gym, and sports rooms, another agitating student Sayan Chakraborty said.

The situation has led to some of the boarders falling ill, suffering from dengue in the last few months, he claimed. Last year, a section of the students had observed a month-long protest against the delay in the completion of the repair works of the hostel. Subsequently, the university authorities swung into action and opened two wards of the under-renovation building after the PWD officials declared them as habitable.

The Eden Hindu hostel started in 1886 as an undergraduate Boy's hostel of the then Presidency College, Kolkata.