Jadavpur University drive to arrest outbreak of fever

Kolkata: A clean-up drive has been taken up in the Jadavpur University (JU) campus after an outbreak of fever was reported there. Jadavpur University pro-vice chancellor Dr A.S. Verma has assured the teachers that necessary measures would be taken to address their concern about it.

The assurance came after JU chapter of All Bengal University Teachers’ Association (ABUTA) urged the authorities to take steps, following outbreak of fever in the campus. Some steps had been taken on an immediate basis to address the concern and “the rest will also be taken care of by the staff concerned as I have instructed them,” Dr Verma said in a written note on Friday.

University authorities also sent a letter to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on the situation. When contacted, KMC’s member, mayor in council (health), Atin Ghosh, said he visited the campus after receiving the letter from the JU. “I visited the campus yesterday to oversee the cleaning-up operation within the campus and will again go there next week,” he said.

To a question, Mr Ghosh said that the fever has not been confirmed as dengue. The letter submitted to the Pro-VC’s office by ABUTA said, “Many of our colleagues staying at the Teachers’ Quarters have now been severely suffering from dengue. Some of them got hospitalised, but many of them did not find any bed in the hospitals.

“Apart from a good number of individual teachers, there are at least three families in a particular block who are seriously affected,” the letter said.