Higher education institutions chip in to combat pandemic

Higher education institutions in the region have been doing their part in lending their support to the government machinery to combat COVID 19 virus in different ways, fulfilling an appeal made to that effect by the University Grants Commission.

Recently, UGC Vice-Chairman D.P. Singh said that in the backdrop of increase in the number of persons infected with corona virus day by day, the educational fraternity has a great responsibility to make the people aware of the preventive and precautionary measures to safeguard themselves and check further spread of the virus alongside making financial contributions.

While some institutions have offered their premises for establishment of temporary vegetable markets, others have lent their support by providing their buildings to keep persons with COVID 19 symptoms under quarantine procedure, providing personal protection equipment, manufacturing sanitisers and assisting government teams in distributing rice to people at their doorsteps.

The management of the Jamal Mohammed College had provided its entire buildings to the district administration for quarantining 70 persons detected with the symptoms of COVID 19 virus. Those under observation in the college as well as the COVID 19 positive patients undergoing treatment at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital are being provided with nutrient-rich food under the monitoring of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, S. Ismail Mohideen, Principal, said.

Likewise, the Central University of Tamil Nadu, Tiruvarur, has provided its facility to the government machinery for keeping under observation 19 persons detected with symptoms of COVID-19. It has established an institutional quarantine facility for the purpose. It has produced hand sanitiser in-house in its chemistry lab and plans to distribute the sanitiser to the community in the surroundings.

Bishop Heber College and St. Joseph’s College are among the handful of institutions where temporary vegetable markets have been established on the playgrounds.

The Seethalakshmi Ramaswami College has provided personal protection equipment to 150 frontline workers at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital. ‘We are looking forward to conducting outreach activities for the community in the surroundings by roping in Non-Government Organisations, College Principal R. Padmavathy said.

In Karaikal district, NSS volunteers of Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Institute of Engineering and Technology joined government teams in distributing rice to residents of Nallathur, Adayalampettai and other villages. Sstaff of Department of Social Work of Arignar Anna Government Arts and Science College have been entrusted with the responsibility of offering psychological counselling for mitigation of mental stress of the public.

In Nagapattinam, the district administration has received support from the E.G.S. Pillai College for maintaining adequate stock of sanitisers made as per the specification of World Health Organisation. The college has readied sanitisers in 300 ml packs for use by frontline workers. The sanitiser in 300 ml bottles has been made available to the public through the office of the District Rural Development Agency for ₹ 150 each.