Students of Utkal University leave the hostels on Friday
BHUBANESWAR: Students from different parts of the state were on Friday seen going towards railway stations and bus stands with all their luggage.
The government has issued an order asking colleges and universitiesto shut down from April 19. Students have also been asked to vacate the hostels, with the exception being made only for scholars, subject to the approval of the authorities concerned.
While many in the capital city have already vacated their hostels, the rest of the students will leave by this weekend.
Bhaba Ranjan Behera, a second-year student of public administration, Utkal University, said, “I, along with my friends, have come back to our native places. I returned home to Jagatsinghpur district on Friday after reading the news about the closure of hostels from Monday. More than 70% boarders have left instead of waiting till Monday.”
WOMEN SAFETY
BHUBANESWAR: The state government has asked commissionerate police to revive the pink auto service, which has been non-operational for the past three years here.
On June 27, 2014, chief minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the public transport system primarily for women in the capital city.
“More women passengers, including working women and students, are travelling here at night. Steps may be taken to review why the pink auto service was stopped. In view of public demand and for the safe travel of women passengers, it may be resumed under the monitoring of the commissionerate police,” transport secretary Madhu Sudan Padhi has written to commissioner of police Saumendra Priyadarshi.
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Bhubaneswar: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked varsities and colleges affiliated to them to create awareness among people about the pandemic and Covid-appropriate behaviour through their websites and other medium.
“It is a cause of great concern that we are faced with rising cases throughout the country. We have decided to focus on a five-fold strategy to death with the situation. These are testing, tracing, treatment, Covid-appropriate behaviour (CAB) and vaccination. Higher educational institutions are expected to play a lead role in spreading awareness with renewed emphasis on ‘dawai bhi, kadai bhi,” UGC secretary Rajnish Jain wrote in the letter to vice-chancellors and college principals.
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BHUBANESWAR: With a surge in fresh Covid-19 cases in the state, the daily routine of elders has been disrupted again. Doctors have advised them against going out for non-essential work and many have voluntarily stopped going out for morning walks and evening strolls due to fear of infection.
Those staying alone have once again started depending on home delivery services for grocery, medicine and other essentials, bringing back disturbing memories of 2020.
“As fresh Covid cases have started increasing again, life has become harder for elderly persons like us. Since elders are more vulnerable, we need to be extra careful. We have been locked up in our houses once again. It is scary and disturbing. Morning and evening visits to parks and meeting friends help us stay relaxed,” said Bibhuti Bhusan Rath, a senior citizen and resident of Saheed Nagar.