Presidency University students help distressed casual staff of hostel

Subho Biswas, one of the students at the university, said they raised the amount from boarders, ex-students and other well-wishers.

Students of the Presidency University have given Rs 3000 each to eight casual employees of a hostel to help them tide over economic hardships they are facing due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

The hostel and the university are closed because of the lockdown. (HT file)

Subho Biswas, one of the students at the university, said they raised the amount from boarders, ex-students and other well-wishers. The hostel and the university are closed because of the lockdown.

“We know Rs 3000 is a small amount for a family in the present situation. But we are thankful to everyone for chipping in. We will continue to assist these people in future. Our fund raising will continue,” Biswas said.

The money was deposited into the accounts of the eight casual employees of Hindu Hostel on Monday. The workers live in East and West Midnapore districts and neighbouring Odisha, he said.

Presidency University Registrar Debojyoti Konar told PTI that “our students have always performed their social responsibilities and we are proud of them.” However, the students must maintain social distancing norms and other government-specified advisories while taking part in any relief work for the economically disadvantaged people, he added.

Earlier, the Presidency University Students Council gave Rs 1,000 each to the eight casual workers of the Hindu Hostel and to a hawker.

“We know this amount is very little to provide them relief but we want to tell them that we are always by their side,” Presidency University Students Council president Mimosa Ghorai said.

The students of the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST) in Shibpur also gave Rs 2,000 each to 35 canteen staff recently.