- 7 weeks ago
A panel discussion examines the severe housing crisis facing Delhi University students following a building collapse in Satya Niketan. DU students Kshitiz Verma and Rishit Ratadia detailed the exorbitant rents, lack of basic amenities, and lack of affordable hostel facilities, leaving outstation students dependent on unsafe paying guest accommodations. NSUI spokesperson Rahul Singh Kajla questioned administrative lapses and building audits, while ABVP DU secretary Akshay Pratap Singh demanded accountability and the resignation of the MCD commissioner. CJP member Rasika called for urgent safety audits and fulfillment of student demands. As the discussion highlighted, 'The DU dream is definitely in ICU' for thousands seeking safe and affordable housing.
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00:00Well, the DU dream is definitely in ICU for all the parents out there who look at their young child
00:06who's cracked a university in the national capital as a badge of honour, which it is a badge of honour,
00:12always been considered a prestige issue, want to send their children only to a paying guest accommodation.
00:18Even though flats, shared flats in Delhi are cheaper, but parents who are sending kids as young as 17, 18,
00:2419, 20 want a paying guest accommodation so they feel that their child is safe.
00:30And that is what is exploited in the national capital. We just gave you a very short glimpse of that.
00:36I want to cut across right now to our panelists this evening. Joining me, Khidish Varma, first year, Atmaram Sanatandharm
00:43College student.
00:44He's a PG resident in Satya Niketan. His classmate got hurt and is currently in the hospital.
00:51Rishit Ratadia, again from Atmaram Sanatandharm College, which is walking distance from Satya Niketan, is a PG resident in Satya
01:00Niketan.
01:01Rahul Singh Kajra, spokesperson NSUI, Akshay Pratap Singh, secretary, ABVP DU, Rasika, DU student.
01:08She's also a member of the Cockroach Janata Party.
01:12Before I come across to the political pressure groups and the political affiliate student organizations,
01:18I'd like to go to the two young students who are with me.
01:22Shithij, your friend is right now injured, recuperating in hospital, who was in that Satya Niketan building crash.
01:31But if there is a very big silver lining for him, he's gotten out of that crash alive.
01:38But I just want you to give us a glimpse of what is it living in Satya Niketan in a
01:45PG accommodation.
01:46How much do you pay? What is your living condition like?
01:50Good evening, ma'am. I'm currently living in my PG at Satya Niketan.
01:56And the PG is very crowded. Like, it's a 10 by 10 room.
02:00And I have a roommate with whom I'm staying with PG.
02:05And I'm paying 9,000 rent per head.
02:08There are other charges in maintenance, electricity excluded.
02:11And there is no food security. I have to get food from outside.
02:14So I would say it's below average living in Satya Niketan.
02:19You're in the room right now.
02:21Yes, ma'am.
02:22Can you, you know, we are going to go full screen.
02:24Can you show us where you live, how much you pay?
02:27You know, give us a glimpse. Let's go full screen on this.
02:32And just tell us, Shritij, on how much you're paying for this.
02:36This is your room.
02:37This is my room. This is just the room. Only this.
02:41And there is the bathroom.
02:42Yeah, and your roommate is paying 9,000.
02:44And your roommate is paying 9,000.
02:47So, 18,000 is the money that this room gets the person who's running your PG, correct?
02:53Yes, ma'am.
02:54And what is, and what do you get out of it? Nothing. It's just the room rent.
02:59Yes, just the room rent.
03:02And this is something that you have no option to, Shritij, because there are no hostels around.
03:07There's no hostel facility.
03:08Yes, ma'am.
03:08If you need to be walking distance from your college, you are in Atmaram Sanatandar.
03:13This is your only option.
03:14This is the last option.
03:18And paying 9,000 every month plus, you know, food is not cheap for a young student like you?
03:25No, food is not cheap. Minimum 5,000 is necessary for food.
03:31I want, Shritij, your classmate was in that building collapse?
03:36Yes, ma'am. But I'm not comfortable with sharing information.
03:39That's fine. You don't have to share it. That's fine.
03:41You know, you don't need to talk about it.
03:43I want you to tell me, Shritij, what is it that you think you feel that a student like you,
03:50where lives will be made easier, do you think reasonable hostel accommodation needs to be given?
03:56What is it that you think will make life easier for students like you,
04:00that you don't have to resort in staying in pigeonhole cubicles like this?
04:05I would say hostels are necessary for students.
04:09Like as you've said, there are a lot, there are students in LACS studying in Delhi University
04:14and hostels are provided for only like 7,000 to 8,000 people.
04:18So I would say hostel would be a big step in providing a good life for the student
04:23in the pursuing of their degree.
04:28Shritij, where do you come from?
04:31I come from Jammu and Kashmir.
04:32You are from Jammu and Kashmir.
04:35Your parents must have had, must be very happy when they sent you here,
04:38but I'm sure even the expense is not small for them
04:44because even at this stage of your life,
04:47the amount that you are paying monthly basis is not small.
04:51Yes, ma'am. It's not small.
04:54Are your parents worried for you?
04:57There are a lot worried.
04:58They have called me like 100 times in these last few days.
05:02What do they say, Shritij?
05:04They just say stay away from that area.
05:08Don't panic.
05:09If you want, you can come back home.
05:11There is no problem.
05:12Just stay safe.
05:15Are you looking to move out of Satya Niketan
05:17or you think you have no choice?
05:19I think I'll be moving out in a few days.
05:22I'll be discussing with them about it
05:24and I'm going home in a few days.
05:28You're leaving college?
05:30No, no.
05:31I'm going for a like...
05:33to refresh my mind.
05:35The situation here is too negative for me.
05:37They're surrounding all the police, ambulances, fire arms.
05:42So you just want to go home for a brief while?
05:45Yes.
05:45But Shritij, I hope you come back
05:46and I hope you come back to a safer Delhi
05:50and, you know, that's all I can say
05:52and I'm really sorry.
05:53I know you don't want to talk about your friend
05:54and you're entitled.
05:56You don't need to talk about your friend.
05:57But I am really sorry for what happened to him
06:00and what you're going through right now.
06:02Thank you, Shritij, for joining us.
06:03I want to cut across from Shritij
06:06who gave out what his ordeal is,
06:09what he feels right now.
06:11He had a friend who was trapped
06:12but was taken out alive from that building crash.
06:15The money he pays.
06:17I want to cut across to Rishit Rathadia right now.
06:19Again from ARSD,
06:21Atmaram Sanatandharam College.
06:22He's a PG resident in Satya Nikethan.
06:27Rishit, I want you to tell me
06:29where you live,
06:30what your living conditions are,
06:32how much you pay
06:33and, you know,
06:35I'm sure your parents are very worried for you.
06:39Good evening, ma'am.
06:40I hope I'm audible.
06:42Yes, you are.
06:45So, the current living condition is such that
06:48the average rent we have to pay
06:50is around $13,000 to $14,000.
06:54We don't get any food in that.
06:56We don't get any, you know,
06:59just drop and pick up service from the college
07:00that North Campus students officially do.
07:03Further on,
07:04the living condition is such that
07:05PG owners mainly focus on,
07:08they do focus on security.
07:10I will not say that they don't.
07:12I will not say any official status
07:14because not all buildings are constructed in this way.
07:16But the thing is that
07:17electricity might be cut down.
07:19The water is not clear
07:20according to a lot of my friends
07:22that have been, you know,
07:24just living down here.
07:25And the mess food,
07:27we all know how tasty
07:29or how much the mess food really is.
07:32The condition is such that
07:34we are headed to
07:36we have...
07:42Rishit, we are having some problem
07:43with connectivity.
07:44Let's try and connect back with Rishit
07:46and then, you know,
07:47get back to Rishit this.
07:49I think we are having some network issues there.
07:51I want to cut across now
07:53to our three panelists
07:55who represent in somewhat way
07:56connected two political parties.
07:59I have with me Rahul Singh Kajla
08:01from the NSUI,
08:02Akshay Prathap Singh,
08:03Secretary, ABVPDU,
08:04Rasika, who is a CJP member
08:06and also is with the Delhi University.
08:09Rahul,
08:10the NSUI has been vociferously
08:12going on
08:14and taking on the Bharatiya Janata Party
08:16where you say that now finally
08:18there is a triple engine in place
08:19starting from the MCD,
08:20the Delhi government
08:21and the central government.
08:22Yet you feel
08:23that they haven't been able to deliver.
08:25But the larger question, Rahul,
08:27is that it's not a problem
08:29that has been created
08:30just by the BJP in Delhi.
08:32It's been a problem
08:35that has only festered
08:37over decades
08:39when your own party's government
08:41that you're connected
08:42and affiliated to,
08:43Congress was in power,
08:44then came the Ahmadineh Party.
08:46Nothing quite changes on ground.
08:47Just the leadership
08:49at the state
08:50and the MCD level changes.
08:51So why politicize it?
08:54Pretty 100%.
08:55This is a problem
08:57which is there
08:58since a very long time.
09:00But I'll tell you
09:00what has changed
09:01in the recent past.
09:02In 2016,
09:03BJP changed
09:04a legal provision
09:05which had criminalized
09:07illegal construction
09:09in Delhi
09:09and made it a civil wrong
09:12instead of a criminal wrong.
09:14So that was one major change.
09:16Second,
09:16you know,
09:17all of these buildings,
09:18especially in Satya Nikitin area,
09:20Satya Nikitin
09:20was raised in 1962
09:23as JJ colony.
09:25And then most of the construction
09:26happened around 1980s
09:28and 1990s.
09:30Earlier,
09:30there was a provision
09:31that any building
09:32which is older than 30 years
09:34should be
09:35and will be audited.
09:36But those audits
09:38never happened.
09:41Also,
09:42you see,
09:43there was criminal incident
09:44is the very particular building
09:46that collapsed
09:47was seized by the MCD
09:49and it was closed.
09:51It was shut
09:51for one and a half year.
09:52It was only reopened
09:54a couple of months back
09:55just before the students
09:57came back to Delhi
09:58for their new academic session.
10:00I mean,
10:00who allowed reopening
10:01of this building?
10:02What structurally changed
10:04which allowed reopening
10:06of this building?
10:06These are the questions
10:08that we are asking
10:08to the Bharatiya Janta party.
10:10These are the questions
10:11that we are asking
10:11to the administration as well.
10:13I mean,
10:13it's only fair to ask
10:14why blanket ambulance
10:16could arrive in 15 minutes
10:18and the regular services
10:20which we expect
10:21from the government
10:22to provide
10:22were not held.
10:23Why did the NDRF team
10:25reach only in two hours?
10:26Why did the Delhi police
10:27only reach in two hours?
10:29And please,
10:31they did not have
10:32basic evokements
10:32like jacks
10:33to remove the debris.
10:35Why did the entire
10:36evacuation process,
10:37entire rescue process
10:39took 27 hours?
10:41We still do not have
10:42adequate data,
10:43clear data
10:43as per like
10:44how many people
10:45were evacuated.
10:46Only AIMS is releasing
10:47that data.
10:47Whereas when I spoke
10:48with people
10:48from Blinket
10:50who are rescuing students,
10:51they were taking
10:52these students also
10:53to other hospitals.
10:54We don't have data
10:55on those students.
10:56This was a PG
10:57which had 70 students
11:00staying there
11:01which had labor
11:03working in the basement
11:04and they have only
11:05issued data
11:05of 12 people.
11:06It was Sunday.
11:07Students remain
11:08in PG on Sunday.
11:09You know,
11:10I understand
11:10I understand
11:11your questions
11:12but Rahul,
11:13we are on Tuesday
11:13right now
11:14and this was
11:15a valid point
11:16to be asked
11:17on Sunday
11:17but would you not
11:19think that
11:20if there were
11:20missing students
11:22by now we would
11:23have had an
11:23understanding
11:24by the virtue
11:26of their families
11:27raising a hue
11:28and cry,
11:28their loved ones
11:29raising a hue
11:30and cry
11:30that there
11:31were people
11:32missing
11:32but right now
11:33it doesn't seem
11:34that there is
11:35anybody missing.
11:36So, you know,
11:37yeah, make your point.
11:40Yeah, even if you
11:41see the data
11:42which is issued
11:42by Ames,
11:45I think four odd
11:46people,
11:47one of them
11:47is 19 years old.
11:49I'm assuming
11:49that person
11:49is a student.
11:50I hope not
11:52but their names
11:53are not clear.
11:54Nobody could
11:54claim those bodies.
11:57Hence,
11:58I think the government
11:58is doing
11:59a very lousy job
12:00at identifying
12:01people,
12:01at rescuing
12:02people
12:02and people
12:03who are living
12:03in this vicinity.
12:04So, I'm connected
12:05with you
12:06from one of the
12:06PGs which is
12:07very close
12:08to the collapse
12:09site which is
12:10only, I believe,
12:1140 meters
12:11from the collapse
12:12site
12:13and I could
12:14speak with people
12:15who are around
12:15this area.
12:16There was a
12:16full-fledged
12:17basement
12:18in that building
12:19and now if you
12:20see visuals
12:21of the rescue
12:22work which is
12:22supposedly completed
12:23now,
12:24it's a flat
12:25ground.
12:26What happened
12:26to the basement?
12:28Was there nobody
12:28in the basement?
12:29Was there no
12:29basement at all?
12:30If you see
12:31comments on social
12:32media, people
12:33are...
12:34Okay, but you
12:36know, I understand
12:36okay, these are
12:37okay, this is
12:38Rahul, I get
12:39your point.
12:40I get your
12:41apprehensions but
12:42till the time we
12:43have bona fide
12:44data to assist
12:45these apprehensions
12:46then it's nothing
12:47more than fear
12:47mongering.
12:48And you must
12:49understand, you
12:49know, it's very
12:50sensitive right now.
12:51So, until and
12:52unless we have a
12:53definitive answer
12:54on how many
12:54people are really
12:55missing and are
12:56there people
12:57missing, we can
12:57raise these
12:58questions but
12:58right now we
12:59don't, we
13:00can't corroborate
13:00that with family
13:01or missing
13:02people's report
13:03other than the
13:04seven of the
13:06dead that have
13:07been released and
13:08the five that
13:09are injured.
13:09But stay with
13:10me, I want to
13:10bring in Akshay
13:11Pratap Singh,
13:12Secretary, ABVP.
13:13Akshay, you
13:14know, one quick
13:14question.
13:15On day one of
13:16the building
13:16collapse, we saw
13:17the ABVP very
13:18active, sitting
13:19outside demanding
13:20for the sacking of
13:21the commissioner of
13:22MCD.
13:22What happened?
13:23You know, that
13:24protest petered
13:25out very quickly.
13:31You are on
13:32mute.
13:32Akshay, you are
13:33on mute.
13:33Unmute yourself.
13:40I was saying
13:41that I am just
13:42coming from a
13:42protest march from
13:43the north campus
13:44area where we
13:45demanded a quick
13:46action on the
13:47MCD commissioner.
13:48We are demanding
13:49his resignation.
13:51We are demanding
13:52accountability of
13:52everyone who is
13:54involved in
13:54these illegal
13:56constructions or
13:58involved in
13:58this havoc which
14:01has been created
14:02by this incident.
14:03We are demanding
14:05that the MCD
14:06commissioner is
14:06or the
14:07J.E.
14:08or whatever
14:08the
14:09members of
14:09party, whether
14:10they are
14:10PG mafia or
14:11the
14:12P.G.
14:12or the
14:13P.G.
14:14or the
14:15P.G.
14:51M.C.D.
15:01M.C.D.
15:04M.C.D.
15:17commissioner, then
15:19take it where
15:20you take the
15:21fight to him.
15:22Sit outside the
15:22MCD commissioner's
15:23office.
15:24We are consistent
15:25and very
15:25sensitive on this
15:26issue.
15:27Today we are
15:28insistent on this
15:29M.C.D.
15:30commissioner's
15:31M.C.D.
15:59commissioner's
15:59where a lot of
16:00kids from
16:00North Campus
16:01say it's a
16:01story of all
16:02the other
16:03small colonies
16:04in North
16:05Campus and
16:05in South
16:06Campus.
16:07But action
16:08needs to be
16:08taken which
16:09really that's
16:10not happening.
16:11I want to
16:11cut across
16:12right now very
16:12quickly and
16:13get in a word
16:13from Rasika
16:14who is a
16:15DU student
16:16herself and
16:16also is a
16:17CJP member.
16:18Rasika, how
16:18are you looking
16:19at the
16:19developments that
16:20have taken
16:20place with
16:21your political
16:23pressure group?
16:24What is the
16:26demand and how
16:26are you working
16:27towards it?
16:29I mean, there
16:32have been
16:32demands, seven
16:33demands that
16:33have been put
16:34forward by our
16:36spokesperson,
16:37Saurav Das.
16:39And I think
16:39those have to
16:40be acted on
16:41very urgently
16:41because this
16:42is not
16:42something, the
16:44kind of mistakes
16:45that are happening
16:45at these
16:46people, they're
16:46completely
16:47avoidable and
16:48they've been
16:48overlooked for
16:49years, on and
16:50on.
16:50But I think
16:51it's really high
16:52time that these
16:53are very basic
16:54demands that need
16:55to be fulfilled,
16:56you know, like
16:56the compensation,
16:57the investigation,
16:58the audits that
16:59need to take
16:59place.
17:00I think it's
17:00very urgent,
17:01I think that's
17:01supposed to, that
17:02should happen
17:03very, very soon.
17:08Okay, alright.
17:09I just want to
17:10get in a quick
17:10word, I believe
17:11we have that
17:13young student who
17:14we had lost
17:15earlier due to a
17:16connection problem,
17:17Rishit.
17:18Rishit Rathadia is
17:19back with us.
17:20Rishit, you wanted
17:21to make your point,
17:22I'm going to give
17:22you the last word,
17:23go ahead.
17:24for sure.
17:25I think I am
17:26audible right
17:27now, correct?
17:28Yes, you're
17:28audible, go ahead.
17:30Because it is
17:31currently, like,
17:32it's a main
17:32problem that
17:35we don't have
17:35really network
17:37not getting
17:38in front of
17:39the incident.
17:40What I feel and
17:41what I've heard
17:42from my friends
17:42is that there
17:43were network
17:44jammers.
17:45It's not a
17:45confirmed fact,
17:46but network
17:47cut down a lot.
17:49The second thing
17:50is that when
17:51this building
17:52broke, and
17:53Jay Saab
17:53told me what
17:54were the
17:54living conditions
17:55there.
17:55So the main
17:56thing in
17:57Satya Niketan
17:57is that it
17:58has become
17:59such a
18:00commercial hub
18:01that the
18:02students that
18:02live in it,
18:03they cannot
18:04get out once
18:05they get inside.
18:06There is every
18:07facility here.
18:08You just see
18:09the name and
18:10the facility
18:10will be here.
18:11The thing is
18:12that all the
18:13South Campus
18:14colleges,
18:14whether it be
18:15Venkatesha,
18:16whether it be
18:16Atmaram Sanatandharam,
18:18whether it be
18:18Maitri or
18:19Motilal Nahiru,
18:20all of the
18:21colleges are in
18:22one lane nearest
18:23to Satya Niketan.
18:24Fair point.
18:25Our only option
18:27is Satya Niketan,
18:28to be walking
18:29distance away
18:30from college.
18:31Yes, it is
18:32walking distance.
18:33It has everything
18:33that we need.
18:35The last point
18:36I'd like to make
18:37is that all of
18:39my friends and
18:40all of the
18:41people that live
18:41here, they are
18:42just complaining
18:43about one thing,
18:44that while the
18:45rest of Delhi is
18:47paying 8 to
18:479 rupees of
18:48unit per unit
18:49of electricity,
18:50we have to pay
18:5114, 15,
18:52somewhere 20
18:53rupees each.
18:54It might seem
18:55a little problem.
18:56Every rupee is
18:56being fleeced out
18:57of you, that's
18:57what you're saying.
18:58Yes, it is.
18:59All right, you
18:59know, this is
18:59something we're
19:00going to carry on.
19:01I'm completely
19:02at a loss of time,
19:03but I thank all
19:04our panelists for
19:04taking the time
19:05out and joining
19:05us this evening.
19:06I think we are
19:07going to continue
19:07reporting on this
19:09story.