The IIT Kharagpur has extended its self-imposed lockdown in the hostels to restrict students’ movement up to January 10, because 150 of them have already tested positive and the quarantine facilities on the campus are on the verge of exhaustion.
Earlier, the hostel lockdown had been observed from December 31 to January 3, said an official. No student is allowed to exit hostel premises. For research scholars, the lockdown rules can be lifted temporarily based on permission from their supervisor.
“Cases are going up ever since around 3,000 students had arrived on the campus between December 26 and 30 as part of the recall measure. The fact that a section of students went to Calcutta for celebrating Christmas compounded the situation,” the official said. “We must restrict any social gatherings.”
Dean of students Dhrubajyoti Sen said the Technology Students Gymkhana, the body that represents all the students, suggested the extension.
On Wednesday evening, director V.K. Tewari held a meeting and decided to add more quarantine facilities as the existing facilities are about to be exhausted with a spike in cases. On December 31 the count of cases stood at 20. On January 4 the count rose to 150. Many staff members are also testing positive.
“It has been decided that the old guest house and a building, which has not been inaugurated, would be turned into a quarantine facility. If inadequate, a hostel wing could also be earmarked as the facility,” he said.
The students, who arrived here till December 30, were supposed to isolate themselves for three days before being allotted hostel rooms. “Now they are undergoing quarantine after testing positive. This has put pressure on the infrastructure,” said an official.
A student said three girl students were asked to isolate in a single room since arriving on the campus — one of them tested positive. “How can three girls live in isolation in a room? They might have travelled by flights, trains or buses,” he said.