As part of its ‘Diwali Milan’ ceremony, Allen Student
Welfare Society arranged a talk show for senior citizens of over a dozen
societies in Kota city. The discussion on ‘Role of citizens in ensuring a clean
image of Kota’ called on the owners and landlords of rented accommodations and
hostels to provide a family-like environment to the coaching students in Kota
city.

Speakers at the show impressed on the participants about how
to involve themselves in ensuring a good life for the students staying in Kota
for coaching. Naveen Maheshwari, director, Allen Career Institute, said that Kota
has been developing through the presence of students and the trust their
parents have placed in the people of Kota. “We have to ensure a clean image of
Kota in the field of education,” he said. He continued that since students
spend nearly 18 hours a day out of their classrooms, and at their residences,
the residence owners and wardens must care for the students just like parents.
P. B. Saxena, Sr. HOD, Allen Career Institute, said that students need
family-like affection since they are studying away from their homes.

Kota Corporator Gopal Ram Manda said that everyone in Kota
should take responsibility for the students – and everyone from street vendors
to industrialists was attached to the students. A former industrial officer,
RPS Chauhan, said that house owners should be in touch with the students’
parents and inform them if the students were in any trouble or were facing any
issues. He also called on the development committees of the local housing
colonies to appoint security guards for public parks.

Some senior citizens requested that owners should interact
with the students living in their establishments daily, so that students don’t
feel homesick or lonely. They also raised a need to provide good, filtered
water at the hostels for the students.