The Telangana Police on Wednesday directed managements of hostels and paying guest (PG) accommodations not to ask occupants to vacate, after it received complaints that those residing in them were being pressured to leave during the COVID-19 lockdown.
"Since the lockdown is under implementation, no permission/ no objection certificate shall be granted in this regard for any movement of people across the state till further orders in the overall interest of public health and public safety," Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) M Mahendar Reddy said in a directive.
Serious action will be taken against any hostel or PG managements that violate this norm, he said.
Police along with Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) officials were directed to hold meetings with hostel managements and ensure compliance.
All Hostels/PG Managements have been directed to continue to accommodate and house the students without any disruption pic.twitter.com/FRprtdw2nc
— DGP TELANGANA POLICE (@TelanganaDGP) March 25, 2020
Earlier, hundreds of students and employees of hostels and PG accommodations gathered in front of police stations after boarders were reportedly asked to vacate.
Following this, the police decided to give them a one-time pass to go to their native places and some of them were given the passes.
However, late in the evening, the DGP clarified that no passes would be issued for inter -state movement.
In view of the latest directive, a senior police official also said hostel owners and PG managements have been counselled to provide all facilities to the inmates and now, the hostels are functioning.
Earlier, Telangana Home Minister Mohammad Mahmood Ali had ordered the police to issue permit certificates on fast-track basis to those students and inmates who have applied for permit certificates to go to their native places.
The issue also reached Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao, who tweeted, "Request all Hostel/PG managements in Hyderabad city to not evict anyone and cause undesirable panic."
Request all Hostel/PG managements in Hyderabad city to NOT evict anyone & cause undesirable panic
— KTR (@KTRTRS) March 25, 2020
I have already asked @CommissionrGHMC @bonthurammohan and @CPHydCity @cpcybd to ensure that you receive all support to run the facilities without problems
As instructed by Sri @KTRTRS garu,
— Baba Fasiuddin (@Babafasiuddin) March 25, 2020
visited the hostels, interacted with the management and appealed them to not to evict any student or employee and assured them of all support to run the facilities without problems pic.twitter.com/CItwwVm5bB
Andhra Pradesh Municipal Administration Minister Botsa Satyanarayana also spoke to KTR on Wednesday night and said that many of the students who were stranded in Hyderabad, were from AP.
Botsa said the students were being made to vacate their hostels but they had nowhere to go in view of the lockdown orders and ban on travel. Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney also spoke to her Telangana counterpart Somesh Kumar on the issue.
The Andhra Pradesh government also advised the students not to venture out of the hostels and call the helpline number '1902' in case of any trouble.