Overstayers give OU a headache

Over 100 persons have been illegally staying in hostels

Hyderabad: The practice of unauthorised stay by individuals in university hostels has become a vexatious issue for Osmania University (OU). Despite a recent warning from university officials to persons who were unauthorisedly staying in the varsity hostels to vacate, many have continued to occupy hostel rooms.

According to varsity authorities, at present at least 100 persons have illegally occupied the hostel rooms without authorisation from the officials concerned. There are close to 16 hostels on the campus meant for students and research scholars of the university and constituent colleges and the practice of illegal stay is particularly severe in E1, E2 and D hostels.

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Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the OU administration had closed all hostels on the campus besides disconnecting power and water supply since March this year. However, some persons according to authorities while illegally staying in the hostels were managing to draw power from electricity poles and water was being taken from the nearby varsity administrative buildings.

In a press release issued recently, the university had said that few persons in the guise of students were staying in the hostel rooms unauthorisedly and because of this there was a law and order problem on the campus. It also warned that police and legal action will be taken if such individuals fail to vacate the hostel rooms immediately.

“Even during lockdown period, around 25 persons were staying in the hostel rooms without permission from the university. After lockdown norms were relaxed, their numbers went up. We also conducted raids on these hostels and seized gas cylinders,” officials said.

According to senior officials, a few individuals who were illegally occupying the hostel rooms had argued that how can they be blamed for the spread of coronavirus when the varsity administration itself had been allowing common people on the campus. Such persons also informed officials that they were preparing for examinations, which are being conducted by the university.

“Unauthorised occupation of hostel rooms is particularly severe in E and D hostels. After the university directions, a majority of individuals who were illegally staying in the hostels have vacated but still there are some who have refused to vacate. If they do not vacate, the university will take help from the police. We have asked principals of all campus colleges to look into the issue,” a senior official said.

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