Thermal scanning sporadic, social distancing missing on Panjab University campus: Panel

A monitoring committee of Panjab University has found several discrepancies on the varsity campus with respect to the adherence of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to contain the spread of Covid-19.

The panel, which was formed earlier this month, in view of rising Covid cases at PU, recently filed its report.

As per the committee, all departments were not recording the temperature of visitors and staff, and adherence to protective measures, such as masks and social distancing, was missing, both by visitors as well as staff, an official notice by the dean university instruction (DUI) stated.

The panel found that most departments lacked a proper sanitisation schedule, besides sanitiser bottles were empty and sanitiser dispensers non-functional.

DUI RK Singla in a communication to all departments has directed them to follow the SOPs released by the government and the varsity from time to time.

PU senator Rajat Sandhir, a member of the panel that constituted the monitoring committee, said, “As the number of cases among the teaching and non-teaching staff is increasing every day, we cannot afford to lower our guard against the deadly virus. We need to ensure that SOPs are adhered to strictly to build the confidence of parents and students to return to the campus.”

On September 23, PU had to close all of its examination branches and single-window enquiry after its staffers had tested positive for Covid-19.

Besides, in a recent circular by the PU registrar, the department and branch heads were asked to prepare and submit a list of contacts of the positive employees to the office of the chief medical officer of the university.