Police sit on Home dept's PG audit order

| | NEW DELHI
  • 0

Police sit on Home dept's PG audit order

Friday, 14 December 2018 | Garen Warjri Panor | NEW DELHI

In order to ensure a safe and healthy living environment for students especially girls and working women residing in Commercial Paying Guest (PG) accommodations in the national Capital, Delhi Home Department had directed the Delhi Police to conduct a security audit of all paying guests in the Capital. However, the Delhi Police have yet to comply to the directive of the Home department. 

The national Capital is an education hub wherein students from all across the country and foreign countries come to study in various institutions such as Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia and colleges of Indraprastha University. Apart from these, there are hundreds of other institutes that offer career oriented courses.

 With an ever-growing students’ population, Delhi faces a huge gap in demand and supply for hostels, and a majority of students have to look into rented and paying guest accommodations.

The Pioneer spoke to several girls living in PGs, and they welcomed the DHD decision to verify the security and safety measures in these commercial lodgings but also narrated their ordeals regarding these PGs.

A senior North Municipal Corporation official told The Pioneer that most of these PG accommodations are functioning illegally in residential areas sans security. “Girls residing in such PGs are most vulnerable”, said a Delhi Police officer.

“There is no proper survey on how many PGs are running without license in the capital. Especially in areas situated in and around universities and colleges like Mukherjee Nagar, Kamla Nagar, Gandhi Vihar, Indra Vihar, Vijay Nagar, Parmanand Colony, Rajendra Nagar, Ber Sarai, Katwaria Saria and more. They do not have the license to be running commercially and they do not have the necessary safety requirements and measures to be housing huge amount of students. These PGs should be regulated immediately,” the police official said.

 “I have been living in a PG for the past one year, since I could not avail a hostel accommodation in my college. Most PGs situated in good colonies cost a lot of money and there is a huge difference in the living standards of an average costing PG. The owner charges Rs 8000 for a single bed in a tiny room where three others bed are also cramped in,” said a student preparing for IIT, living in Ber Sarai.

While another girl said that there is no proper ventilation in house. “No security cameras are installed. There is no security guard in our PG. We have to lock main-gate ourselves,” said a student in Vijay Nagar.

“The food is not cooked in hygienic conditions. One can see cockroaches roaming around in kitchen every time. There is no proper drinking water system available,” said another girl living in Mukherjee Nagar who hails from Andhra Pradesh and is preparing for civil services exams.

“Many female students living in PGs have shared their problems with us stating that they are being harassed in their paying guest accommodations. Most PGs don’t follow the norms and regulations dictated by Civic agencies. Most PGs have small and cramped room, which are not feasible for students. There is no proper sanitation, students complain of the quality of food and these accomodattions cost lot of money,” Professor Pamela Singla, Department of Social Work, University of Delhi, Provest International Student Hostel for Women said.

“The Government should provide more hostel facilities for students so they are not forced to turn to these commercial paying accommodations,” she added.

Sunday Edition

CAA PASSPORT TO FREEDOM

24 March 2024 | Kumar Chellappan | Agenda

CHENNAI EXPRESS IN GURUGRAM

24 March 2024 | Pawan Soni | Agenda

The Way of Bengal

24 March 2024 | Shobori Ganguli | Agenda

The Pizza Philosopher

24 March 2024 | Shobori Ganguli | Agenda

Astroturf | Lord Shiva calls for all-inclusiveness

24 March 2024 | Bharat Bhushan Padmadeo | Agenda

Interconnected narrative l Forest conservation l Agriculture l Food security

24 March 2024 | BKP Sinha/ Arvind K jha | Agenda