PU’s iconic Student Centre scores poorly in cleanliness, upkeep
The failure to maintain hygiene and cleanliness at Stu-C is juxtaposed with the university’s plans to build a new student centre on the south campus
Cluttered garbage, broken furniture, algae-ridden basins have turned the picturesque setting of Panjab University’s Student Centre, popularly known as Stu-C, into a sore spot.
The failure to maintain hygiene and cleanliness at Stu-C is juxtaposed with the university’s plans to build a new student centre on the south campus.
To begin with, the heritage canteen at Stu-C is front and centre of the neglect. While talking to students, it was discovered that one of the major and apparent lags was the absence of proper cleanliness and sanitation.
The unavailability of “clean” toilets or in fact just functional toilets is a serious concern for most. A group of students highlighted: “Amid overturned garbage bins and piles of dry waste at every two steps, it’s a race to find a place to sit at Stu-C, especially during lunch hours.”
Basic amenities like clean drinking water, maintenance of tables and gazebos are lacking with most of the water coolers remaining non-functional and the other infrastructure rusty.
Another group flagged the rate hike, a concern that has been voiced on many prior occasions. The food quality, meanwhile, also cuts a sorry picture. Despite the student council’s attempts, the issue has fallen on deaf ears.
“There are emotions and feelings attached with Stu-C, everyone…all of us have memories attached to this place, that’s one huge thing. But today, it is so tough to find a seat and sit. Moreover I would rate Stu-C poorly on the cleanliness front too,” Gaurav Thakur, a student, said.
With hundreds of visitors, students, alumni thronging Stu-C daily, maintenance and beautification projects occupy a larger significance.
When asked about the same, varsity’s dean student welfare (DSW) Jatinder Grover said, “Yes, we know there’s a lot that can be and that should be done in terms of maintenance and cleanliness of the Student Centre. It is understood that Stu-C is one of the centres of attraction of our university and thus a lot of people visit it. We have started work in the direction of its upkeep, especially the changing of water-coolers.”
Student council president Aayush Khatkar, meanwhile, said they had submitted a number of memorandums to the authorities concerned, adding, “I feel Stu-C is a very crucial place and to keep it well-maintained is our responsibility. A lot of people and even outsiders visit Stu-C and it is an image factor for our university. Thus, we are and we will be working our best for its upkeep.”
