Panjab University forms five panels to check substance abuse in hostels

The Dean Students Welfare (DSW) of Panjab University (PU) have constituted five committees to address various concerns, including substance abuse in hostels and managing cleanliness.

The committees comprising wardens of varsity hostels will be tasked with checking hostels for the drug menace and substance abuse, checking cleanliness and food quality in the hostel messes. They will send detailed reports to the DSW.

DSW Amit Chauhan said that PU will do its part to tackle this menace. “Drug abuse is a societal problem, but we will continue to keep a check on hostels. We will also involve the parents if any such case comes to light and work together to solve such issues,” Chauhan said.

He added that since November, there hasn’t been any recovery of drugs or any such substances from the hostels, and they are taking such measures preemptively, with exam season also starting in PU.

However, PU has heightened these measures ever since the drug overdose death in hostel number 7 in November last year.