No vroom for speed biking, joyrides on BHU campus
VARANASI: The Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has put a ban on biking and car riding for fun on its sprawling and lush green campus in order to avoid noise and air pollution caused by the vehicles there.
On average, around 300 vehicles, including 100 cars and 200 bikes, enter the campus every morning and evening, ostensibly so that the passengers can go on to take morning and evening walks. But then many take long joyrides, says Prof Anand Chaudhary, chief proctor, BHU.
The ban was verbally announced by the university administration around a fortnight ago, but it failed to bring the desired results. Therefore, the university administration constituted a seven-member committee over a week ago to give suggestions for an effective check on biking and car riding for fun on the campus.
“Speed biking and car riding for fun on the campus causes a lot of noise and air pollution. We recently announced prohibition on biking for fun, especially in the morning and evening, in order to avoid air pollution and (keep) noise away from the campus,” Prof Chaudhary said.
Deputy chief proctor Prof SP Singh heads the seven-member constituted to suggest measures for an effective check on speed biking and car riding on fun on the campus.
The committee would also suggest an effective check on the anarchist elements’ entry into the campus and BHU’s farm, said Prof Chaudhary.
In a recent meeting, a member suggested that first an appeal would be made to the vehicle riders to park their vehicles outside, and then come for a walk on the campus. If they don’t follow the appeal, action should be ensured against them with the help of the transport department, the same member said.
In addition, guards should be deployed at the gates in the morning and evening, not to allow the people coming to the campus to do biking for fun, suggested another member. He said the registration numbers of such vehicles be noted and given to the traffic police for action against the people found driving vehicles above 30 km per hour on the campus.
Prof Chaudhary accepted that it was a challenge to check biking for fun on the campus but added that no stone would be left unturned to keep the campus clean and green.
Prof R Sagar of BHU’s department of botany said, “Vehicles emit harmful gases, including nitrogen, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. These harmful gases, along with dust, deposit on the surface of leaves and block tiny pores through which plants inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen in the atmosphere. This deposit of harmful gases, along with dust, on the surface of leaves creates a hindrance in photosynthesis. As a result, leaves suffer chlorosis, turn pale and fall. Eventually the plant or tree gradually goes dry.”
BHU has over three dozen roads connecting its faculties and departments. Each road on the campus has lush green trees on either side.
There are around 10,000 big trees of indigenous species, including mango, banyan, guava and other species, besides thousands of smaller trees.
Patanjali Pandey, a research scholar at the department of political science, said, “I ride a bike on the campus to attend class, never for fun. Biking for fun on the campus must be discouraged.”
Divya Dikshit, a local, said that she walked in the campus and rode a bike only if necessary. “Some people drive bikes at a very high speed on the campus. It should be checked. The noise from bikes creates a disturbance for students in the hostels,” Dikshit added.
Pallav Suman, an MA student, advocated strict action against rash driving on the campus.
“Cycling needs to be promoted on the campus,” Suman suggested.
Saurabh Pandey, another student, takes a cycle ride to the university’s Faculty of Sanskrit Vidya Dharma Vigyan. He never rides a bike on the campus.
“Speed biking is a common sight on the campus. It must be stopped,” he said.
BHU’s former public relations officer Dr Vishwanath Pandey said the university was a temple of knowledge and its roads were not meant for fun biking. The BHU administration must devise a plan to check it, he added.
For his part, BHU chief proctor Prof Anand Chaudhary made it clear: “There is no check on morning walk or evening walk on the campus. Only biking for fun on the campus is prohibited in morning and evening.”
Many a time, the walkers, as well as students, are rattled by speeding bikes. On Tuesday, around 6 pm, some people were enjoying an evening stroll on the road leading to Vishwanath temple on the BHU campus.
Suddenly, a speeding bike passed by, shattering the silence and ignoring signage about the speed limit of 30 km per hour.
Kamlakar Dwivedi, a research scholar in Sanskrit at faculty of Sanskrit Vidya Dharma Vigyan BHU, said, “Speed biking is a common sight. Strict action is needed to check it.”