BHU embarks on devp in naxal hit areas

Varanasi, May 13: The Banaras Hindu University (BHU) will take up development and healthcare projects through its new campus, set up for the purpose, to help contain naxalism in the three insurgent-infested districts of Mirzapur, Sonebahdra and Chandaulli in eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Talking to UNI here yesterday, BHU Vice-Chancellor Panjab Singh said as part of the Centre's resolve to tackle the naxalite menace through the 'sword of development', the University will take up agricultural and educational development projects besides providing state-of-art health care, through the campus to come up in the University's Barkachha farm in Mirzapur district.

The new campus to be developed as 'South Campus' of BHU on the lines of Delhi University, will ensure educational and agricultural development of the three naxal-infested districts.

''The Centre has realised that naxalism cannot be tackled with force alone but with adequate development to prevent vulnerable youths from falling into the clasp of extremism.'' Developed on over 2,700 acres, the South campus will not only offer education in 35 basic and advanced courses, but also provide locals job opportunities in agricultural cultivation in an area of 1,000 acres, besides forest and bio-diversity centre development and growing of medicinal and aromatic plants.

The campus, where educational programme will begin from the next academic session, will also have a 500-bed super speciality hospital, to work as an extension of the Sir Sunder Lal Hospital (SSU) located on the north (old) BHU campus in the southern part of the city.

The health care facility will begin soon at the south campus, with the Ayurvedic and Modern Medicine experts especially in the sphere of Oncology, Cardiology, Diabetes and Chest and Tuberculosis visiting the Barkachha campus every Saturday to offer medical care to the inhabitants of the underdeveloped region.

''Sometimes even the commonest of health problems are compounded due to non-availability of specialists in the region. The Saturday Service will treat those with common health problems, while also linking those requiring further care to the SSU Hospital,'' Prof Singh said.

The VC said once the 500-bed extension of SSU hospital starts in Barkachha, the problem of surgical treatment in the interior Varanasi will also be solved.

UNI