DU’s SBSC announces free water in canteen amid red alert in Capital for heatwave, students hail principal ‘Lord Attree’
The principal of Delhi University's Shaheed Bhagat Singh College recently announced free water on campus, leading to students hailing the move with Insta memes.
“How’s the heat? Fine, sir!” This seems to be the collective answer from students of Shaheed Bhagat Singh College (SBSC) to their principal. Recently, the college head issued a notice stating that if water coolers run out of water, students are entitled to free water from the canteen. With the Capital on red alert due to heatwave, this news has come as a cool respite for the students of this Delhi University college. Many even took to social media to hail principal Arun Kumar Attree as ‘Lord Attree’.
“Usually, our principal sir is known for being a tough taskmaster and a disciplinarian. But this time, he proved that he has our best interests at heart,” says Amarjeet Singh, a final-year BA (Prog) student. Shashank Nagpal, a second-year BA (Hons) Political Science student, chimes in, “Lord Attree has struck again, but this time for the good side (laughs)! The problem is that some water coolers on campus are avoided, leading to a rush at the better ones, especially the one in the canteen, which is often empty or doesn’t work. But when it does, it dispenses the coolest water of all.”
Braving the harsh weather conditions, students attending college for their exams have the assurance now that they don’t have to worry about quenching their thirst. And while students are happy to see the humane side of their college head, principal Attree shares that the step was necessary to keep students hydrated and provide access to cool drinking water.
“The college has a duty to provide students with clean drinking water, but sometimes mischievous people switch off the RO behind the water cooler, so the staff takes care of such situations,” explains Attree, adding, “This notice also acts as a deterrent to canteen workers from hiking the price of water bottles. It’s an exceptional step to ensure that potable water is available to students, especially given the current climate in Delhi.”