The district administration has sought a change in the venue of the proposed SARAS Mela after Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) vice-chancellor raised concerns over holding the event on the campus amid mid-semester examinations and the university’s annual youth festival.
The administration has written to the secretary, department of rural development and panchayats, Punjab, seeking an alternative venue for the mela, scheduled from October 27 to November 5.
The move follows objections from PAU students and teachers associations to hosting large public events on the university campus.
They have raised concerns that events involving large gatherings of people from outside the university could disrupt academic activities and interfere with the institution’s routine functioning.
According to a letter issued by the office of the additional deputy commissioner (rural development)-cum-mela officer (SARAS 2026), preparations for the event had already begun, including the tendering process to appoint an organising agency.
However, the district administration is now reconsidering the venue following a communication from the PAU vice-chancellor to deputy commissioner Himanshu Jain.
The letter states that the university’s mid-semester examinations are scheduled in October, while its annual youth festival is to be held from October 30 to November 6.
{{/usCountry}}The letter states that the university’s mid-semester examinations are scheduled in October, while its annual youth festival is to be held from October 30 to November 6.
{{/usCountry}}The administration stated that conducting the SARAS Mela simultaneously with these university activities could lead to heavy footfall, congestion and disruption on the campus.
PAU Teachers’ Association leader Harmeet Singh Kingra said the association opposed holding the mela on the campus, maintaining that large events involving outsiders could disrupt the academic environment and distract the institution from its core academic purpose.
Students have also welcomed the university administration’s intervention.
PAU student Simranjeet Singh said large external events caused inconvenience to students and expressed relief that the university had taken up the matter with the district administration.
Jain confirmed that the administration had acted on the vice-chancellor’s request. “Received a letter from VC, based on it, we have written to the department,” he said.
The district administration has asked the department to allow it time to identify an alternative venue for the mela. A final decision on the venue and dates is awaited.