SHILLONG, MAR 15: The North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda & Homoeopathy (NEIAH) has signed an agreement for construction of hostels, guest house and others at an estimated cost of Rs 56.03 crore.
“The institute has on March 30, last year signed an agreement with the National Project Constructions Corporation Limited (NPCCL) for construction of hostel buildings and others at an estimated cost of Rs 56.03 crore,” NEIAH director Dr PK Goswami told journalists here on Thursday.
Over 200 students of the institute have been staging protest outside the campus for the past few days over issues related to accommodation, transportation and safety concern.
The students are demanding the institute to consider providing subsidy for accommodation.
Dr Goswami said the problem faced by the institute is due to absence of hostels since there was no proposal for construction of the same under the Phase-I of the project.
However under the phase-II of NEIAH project, he said that the institute has proposed to construct the hostels for boys and girls, guest house, staff quarter and senior resident hostel.
The concept plan and architectural drawings is already prepared and approved and NIT invited by NPCC Ltd.
Based on NIT, the director said that the NPCC opened the financial bid on March 12, this year and the construction work for which is expected to commence shortly after completion of required process.
According to him, the laying of the foundation stone is expected to be on April this year.
On the other hand, Dr Goswami informed that in a meeting held on May 2, last year students were informed that they had two options at hand.
“One is either they could accept the proposal for hostel fee to be collected by the institute at Rs 2,000 per month along with caution money of Rs 6,000 which was refundable or they could find out an alternative arrangement with the hostel owner directly regarding the monthly rental, over and above the existing mess fee of Rs 3,800 per month due to dissatisfaction of the 1st batch students residing in the private hostel the NEIAH authority had withdrawn the contract. But no intimation was given by students,” he said.
Asked, the director said that he had appeal to the students to go back to their classes.
“Because the construction of hostels will only be completed after two and a half year,” he said adding “I will again approach the students to request them to come forward and discuss to ensure the issue is resolved.”
He however alleged that the students are even demanding subsidy for cooking gas which is not possible.
By Our Reporter
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