The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) has condemned the “non-cooperative attitude”  of the university in responding to its suggestions regarding opening Covid management facilities on the campus.

The teachers’ body has said that the association had made suggestions for opening Covid management facilities on the campus as per the guidelines issued by the Delhi government. But adequate measures were not taken in this regard. 

In a press statement signed by JNUTA president Milap C Sharma and secretary Moushumi Basu on April 24, the teachers’ body has said: “JNUTA strongly condemns the non-cooperative attitude of the JNU administration in responding to the suggestions made for opening of COVID management facilities within the campus, as per the guidelines for Gated Residential Complexes desirous of setting up small COVID care facility issued by the Delhi government on 18 April 2021.”

The JNU administration, however, has issued a notice on Monday where it said it would organize a Covid-19 testing camp for the university community members inside the campus for two days starting Tuesday . However, the notice mentions that only those with Covid-19 symptoms of Covid-19 can get the test done.

“A COVID-19 Testing Camp is being organized in Faculty Club (near Railway reservation Centre) of the University for all Community members of the University…..Those having symptoms of COVID-19 can get their test done,” the notice issued by the JNU administration reads.  

 The JNUTA has  said in the statement that it had pleaded with the university authorities to not stand on “rigidities” and be flexible to demands that are being made by residents. “It would indeed be criminal to keep physical facilities locked up and not made available for use by residents in need,”  the statement read.

The teachers said they feared that the rigid and negligent attitude of the university administration could end in having “grave consequences for JNU as a whole.”

According to the teachers epidemiologists across the country, including JNU faculty at the Centre for Social Medicine and Community Health, have repeatedly flagged the deeply disturbing connection between the high incidence of cases in various locations in India and inadequate administrative response with regards to health infrastructure.

“JNU is no exception and in the last two weeks there has been a stark increase in cases, which has caused panic and stress among residents. The problems faced by many faculty members and administrative staff living in cramped housing on campus of effectively isolating afflicted family members, is a serious one. Ramping up of testing and creating quarantine facilities for asymptomatic persons and mild cases on campus constitutes another important concern,” the teachers’ body said.

The JNUTA has also made the suggestion of using the guest houses located on campus to isolate residents.

Based on the request made by the JNUTA, a team headed by the sub-divisional magistrate visited the campus on last Friday afternoon to inspect the guest house facilities that had been suggested for use as quarantine centres.

“While the suggested guest house facilities were found to be adequate, the lack of any positive commitment made by the university administration to shoulder the responsibility did not yield the desired breakthrough,” the statement said.

Also read: JNU warns legal action against Covid19 norms violation on campus