Ludhiana
Event Context
Students residing in hostels at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) have raised concerns over frequent and prolonged power outages, alleging that electricity remains unavailable in their rooms for several hours.
Team Analysis
They have urged the university administration to ensure an uninterrupted power supply by arranging electricity through generators during outages. Residents of girls’ hostels number 11, 12 and 14 said the university is aware that the power cut problem crops up every summer, becoming severe during the spells of hot and humid weather, so it should ensure that generators function during outages so that their study and sleep schedule is not disrupted.
Another student questioned the collection of electricity charges from hostel residents.
“We pay an electricity fund along with our tuition fees and also pay an additional electricity fund every semester. If we continue to face such long power cuts in this weather, then what exactly are we paying for?” the student asked.
PAU vice-chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal confirmed that the university has been affected by the increase in power outages. “Power cuts have increased. We try to run generators as much as we can, but it is not feasible to operate them all the time,” he said.
source
According to the students, electricity often goes off late in the evening and, on several occasions, is restored only the next morning, making it difficult to sleep, study or carry out routine activities. Arshpreet Kaur, an MSc chemistry student residing in hostel number 12, said the hostels do not have a proper power backup system to support students during outages. “The hostels have no proper power backup facility, making it extremely difficult to study, sleep or stay comfortably, especially during the summer. Despite paying the prescribed hostel fees, students are not receiving even the basic facilities they deserve.
A reliable backup system to run at least fans and lights during power cuts is a basic necessity,” she said. Students further alleged that whenever they request the authorities to operate the generator during prolonged power cuts, they are informed that it cannot be run continuously because of the high cost of diesel.
