Weeks after the death of a 17-year-old Jadavpur University student stirred outrage over ragging, West Bengal higher education department has said they are planning to sanction Rs 37 lakh to the varsity for installing CCTV cameras on campus.
"In principle, the amount has been sanctioned by the higher education department but the process of sending the file to the finance department is yet to start," an official told PTI on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, officiating vice-chancellor Buddhadeb Sau told the agency that they have not received any official communication regarding the same. "I have heard about the sanction of funds from media reports, but we are yet to get any official communication from the government. Whenever the amount comes, it will help the university to start installing CCTV cameras on the campus," he said.
Sau had earlier said that the college was already in the process of installing CCTVs at all the important points including the main entry gates. Jadavpur is also seeking ISRO’s help to curb illegal activities on the campus through remote sensing. "An ISRO team will visit the university in the coming days to discuss the project," Sau told PTI.
Speaking on the section of students, including SFI activists, opposing the CCTV installation, he said, "I am ready to sit with them for talks as I don't know why they are opposing the move. I have requested them to send a proposal. I have asked them to clarify their stand."
While the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad and ABVP have been asserting the entire campus be brought under the surveillance of cameras, the SFI-controlled Arts Faculty Students Union had demanded that they be consulted before taking any policy decision on installing CCTV cameras on the campus.
Speaking to Outlook earlier, Srijan, a former JU student and the General Secretary of the Student Federation of India (SFI), West Bengal, had said, “Ragging stems from a psyche of domination and the fight against is larger. CCTV installation is a minuscule part of the solution and it does not stop the social issue of the ragging culture.”
Subjected to ragging and alleged sexual abuse by seniors, a 17-year-old Bengali Honours student fell from the balcony on the second floor of JU Boys' Main Hostel on August 9 night and died the next morning. His death triggered a massive uproar across the country as protest rallies and meetings blocked the thoroughfares near JU for weeks.
