E-Paper
Students in the dark, staff left high and dry at Delhi’s oldest library
A power outage now in its 5th month and defunct basic amenities at Hardayal Municipal Public Library threaten to derail members’ exam prep
Elsewhere, an institution like this is sure to be nothing short of a highly venerated heritage site. But at Hardayal Municipal Public Library in Chandni Chowk, all appears to have plunged into darkness over the past five months. Delhi’s oldest surviving library, housing 1.5 lakh books, has neither had electricity in the said period nor functional toilets or drinking water.
“In summer, it was quite challenging to study without fans. The library is said to be a sanctuary of learning, but no electricity supply has disrupted my studies significantly,” says CA student Shobhit Sharma, 21, who, like others, uses his phone torch and power banks to study.
Many, like Afifa Rashid, 19, have been forced to take their study setup to the library, which charges ₹1,200 for a yearly membership, owing to the lack of space at home. “I’ve had to resort to using power banks and portable lights to study here. The lack of a functioning washroom is a daily struggle. Using the ones at crowded metro stations is both inconvenient and scary,” rues Rashid.
Staffers in dire straits
The library, which was established in 1862 and moved to its present location in 1916, has unpaid dues worth ₹5 lakh to the electricity department, confirms senior staff member Sunita Bharadwaj. The staff haven’t received their salaries for the past 36 months.
Employees who weren’t paid had no option but to only come to the library. Almost every employee is near or above 50, and finding jobs or applying for other jobs at this age has become difficult for them.
Om Prakash, the leave section incharge, opens up about the struggles his family has gone through in this period: “I had a heart attack recently, and with no salaries or medical facilities, I couldn’t afford treatment. My daughter’s wedding is at stake, and I might be forced to sell my house.”
In November, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi cleared a ₹2.26-crore grant to help pay the electricity bill and process the salaries of the staff. “Teen saal se paisa ruka tha, and employees were very disturbed. Some have even left. Managing the library like this has been tedious,” says Rajendra Singh Jatav, the acting librarian.
“Being Delhi’s oldest library, it should be valued and maintained. We have rare books and ones that aren’t available anywhere else. We must preserve this place,” he adds.
