Date:04/03/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/03/04/stories/2005030410630300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

SKU to weed out non-boarders

By Our Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR, MARCH 3. Irrespective of the inconvenience caused to students who have been preparing for their semester examination, the closure of colleges and hostels on the campus of Sri Krishnadevaraya University (SKU) over a row between two student unions has given the authorities an opportunity to tackle the problem of non-boarders in hostels.

The stand-off between the student unions can be attributed to the inaction of the university authorities to some extent. The differences have reached a flash point.As a result, the authorities' efforts to cleanse the hostels of non-boarders had not succeeded. The student unions too had not evinced interest in the exercise, though they have always "offered cooperation''.

Mounting dues

The management of hostels has become burdensome mainly due to highhandedness of student unions and the problem of non-boarders. The condition of the campus hostels has been so pathetic in recent weeks that the authorities have even failed to give the boarders wholesome food. The boarders were denied milk and curd due to heavy dues to suppliers. The additional burden of non-boarders and alleged financial indiscipline in the management of hostels has led to such a situation. The university authorities have formed a monitoring committee to oversee their functioning.

The district police had offered to help the authorities in weeding out non-boarders last year but the varsity management backtracked at the last minute.

The university authorities are planning to re-allot hostel rooms to the students after reopening the campus in about 10 days.