Now, NSS volunteers can’t use cell phones, plastics at camps

Ravinder Saini

Rohtak, May 20

National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers would now not be able to use their cell phones during national, state and district-level camps scheduled in the state in the coming days.

The Department of Higher Education (DHE) has restricted the use of phones so that the volunteers can focus on camp activities. However, they will be able to use their phones in the residential area of the camp.

Three state-level camps

Dates of the three state-level camps have also been announced. The first camp will be organised in Fatehabad from May 28, the second in Jind from June 1 and the third in Ballabhgarh from June 2. NSS official

The DHE has also banned the use of plastic utensils while serving food at the camps. Plastic water bottles for guests has also been restricted to prevent environment pollution. Moreover, only patriotic and folk songs will be preferred during cultural programmes to be organised in the evening during the camp’s duration.

These instructions were recently given by the DHE while issuing a communiqué to the NSS programme coordinator of all universities across the state.

“It has come to the notice that NSS volunteers remain busy on their cell phones and in clicking pictures instead of focusing on activities being organised at the camps. It doesn’t serve the real purpose of the camps, hence the use of phones during activities has been banned. However, they can use their phones in the residential area of the camp when they retire for the day,” an official at the DHE stated.

Five national unity camps would be held in Kaithal, Kurukshetra, Hisar and Rewari, in which NSS volunteers from 15 other states would also participate. Five state-level NSS camps would be organised in Ballabhgarh, Fatehabad, Ambala, Jind and Mahendragarh districts, he said.

The official said every camp would have 200 volunteers. In the national camp, 100 volunteers would be from other states. Two national unity camps would simultaneously be organised in Kaithal and Kurukshetra from June 14-20 while a third camp would be hosted at HAU, Hisar, from July 18-24. Similarly, the remaining two national camps would simultaneously be held at Indira Gandhi University (IGU) in Rewari and Kurukshetra University from July 25-31.