Students at Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), Gandhinagar are protesting over health, water and sanitation conditions on campus.
The students have placed a statement of demands before the University. They have sought responsibility fixed for each lapse, an independent audit of hostel water, food, sanitation and medical conditions, and regular reports shared with students.
They have also sought testing of hostel water for E coli and other pathogens. They also want RO or filter facilities on every hostel floor, including the third floor of the academic block.
Students say that the medical centre needs more staff and equipment. Only one person is reportedly stationed with the ambulance for 24-hour coverage, which they say is insufficient given the number of students on campus.
They have also demanded regular external inspection of the mess, permanent repair of sewage leaks, mosquito control across the hostels and written communication of all decisions.
Furthermore, the students want offline classes suspended until the fixes are complete or moved online if that takes over a week. They have asked that internal assessments be held online or rescheduled with no loss of attendance or marks. With end-semester exams about three weeks away, they have also asked for an advance procedure for medical exemptions and a written academic plan.
A piece on "sick season" at GNLU by Jury's Out, the student-run magazine, lists 93 dengue cases, 58 cases of a viral illness it calls a mystery and 20 cases of food poisoning linked to mess food. It says the dengue count leaves out July and most of August. It also lists 10 typhoid cases and other infections that it attributes to contaminated water. The piece also claims students found worms in water bottles and a blade in rice on August 12.
Speaking to Bar & Bench, GNLU Registrar Dr Nitin Malik said that dengue is currently widespread in Gandhinagar and that the University is helping arrange medical care. He acknowledged the receipt of the demands and said that meetings on the issues are being held continuously and that another is scheduled for 3:30 PM on Wednesday.
Asked about insects in mess food and water contamination, the Registrar said the situation is not as bad as described and pointed out that faculty also eat at the mess.
"Today also teachers went to the mess and ate with the students. It is not like that. It is only the dengue, stomach infection and viral," he added.
The Registrar acknowledged that water contamination has been reported. He said that the University has placed bottled water on campus and is obtaining water and food test reports from the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU).
"We are on it. The administration is continuously keeping a watch and we are taking all precautions," he said.
[Read Statement of Demands]