Nibeditaa SpeaksThe Delhi High Court on Tuesday refused to take up for urgent hearing a PIL seeking direction to provide hostel facility in all the colleges of Delhi University (DU), pointing out that a similar PIL was filed a day before and was likely to be heard automatically the next day.
A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia said that it will take up the PIL filed on Monday for hearing on Wednesday. The bench made the observation when seeking an urgent hearing of the PIL moved by advocate Punit Bansal.
The issue of student hostels in DU has figured in the court’s agenda after the recent mishap in Satya Niketan where a five-storied building housing students of various colleges had crashed on Sunday, killing seven and injuring five others.
The PIL moved by Advocate Bansal said that the number of hostels in the Delhi University is insufficient and students who come to Delhi from outside are forced to stay in private PGs which can put their safety in danger. The bench also took note of the issue while hearing another PIL regarding the collapse of the building in Satya Niketan.
On Monday, the same bench had directed that a magisterial inquiry at the highest level be initiated by the MCD into the collapse of the building in Satya Niketan. The directions were given after the court examined the relevant sections of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act.
“The onus for such negligence cannot solely be placed on the owner of the PG or the private company, but there is also an onus on the civic body and university authorities to ensure that life and personal safety of residents are not endangered,” the bench observed.
It also said that the private PGs are in many ways unsafe and put the students staying there at risk. It urged the government to take necessary steps to provide more hostels which would reduce the load on PGs.
“There is insufficient hostel accommodation for students of Delhi University, because of which the students are forced to take up residence in private PGs which are in turn unsafe. This negligence on the part of the authorities is putting the lives of the students at risk. The government must take immediate steps to provide more and better hostels for the students,” the PIL said.
It is pertinent to mention here that the five-storied building which had crashed on Sunday in Satya Niketan was hosting the students of various DU colleges. The police have arrested 81-year-old Hariram Gupta, the owner of the PG, and registered a First Information Report (FIR) against him and some others under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, negligent operation or construction of a building, and endangering life or personal safety.
Furthermore, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has directed that a magisterial inquiry be ordered into the incident.
The issue of insufficient hostels and the recent mishap in Satya Niketan has brought to light the question whether the authorities concerned are doing enough to ensure that the students have access to sufficient hostel accommodation. The PIL which is scheduled to be heard on Wednesday will bring the issue of hostels in DU for an in-depth discussion.
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