Cops scramble around city to ensure compliance of new rules for PG centres and hostels

Mangaluru: Days after Mangaluru city police commissioner Sandeep Patil issued fresh directives for effective regulation of paying guest centres, hostels and service apartments – given the concentration of educational institutions in Mangaluru, scores of establishments providing affordable accommodation to students have mushroomed in the coastal city – cops hit the ground running on Tuesday to inspect if the facilities were complying with the new rules.
Patil, empowered under provisions of the Karnataka Police Act, 1963, had notified the new rules on July 12. The issuance of the new rules is part of city police’s efforts to curb anti-social activities among youngsters. They suspect that, owing to lack of regulation, hostels and PG centres have turned into dens of illegal activities. Curbing the growing menace of drugs in the coastal city is at the very top of Mangaluru commissioner’s priorities.
Within days of city police chief Sandeep Patil issuing orders laying down the law for paying-guest homes, home stays, guest houses, hostels and service apartments doting this coastal city, city police personnel were up and running to check for its compliance. Issued under sections 65 and 70 of Karnataka Police Act, 1963 under powers conferred on him as additional district magistrate, Patil notified the rules on July 12.
Patil said that the inspection of these facilities was part of a routine exercise carried out by the cops. “Police are visiting PG centres and hostels to ensure that these private establishments are complying with the fresh guidelines. We also want to confirm that they are being operated legally,” Patil told TOI.
He said that inmates of the residential facilities had been advised against indulging in illegal activities. “It’s only a few weeks into the new academic year, and these establishments, which are preferred by students owing to their affordability, we fear, may turn into places of illegal activities. Such surprise visits by cops will help send a message to students and owners. They will be aware of the fact that we are keeping an eye on their activities,” said Patil.
Thus far, 114 PG centres have registered with their respective police stations in Dakshina Kannada.
As many as 25 of these establishments on their radar fall under the purview of Mangaluru Rural, Kankanady town, Konaje and Ullal police stations, all of which are within the ambit of Mangaluru South sub-division. “The sub-division’s assistant commissioner of police has been asked to walk the extra mile to ensure effective enforcement of the order. The order mandates that hostels, run by both educational institutions or private players, PG centres and lodges, obtain permission from the departments concerned,” the city police commissioner added.
All the residential establishments have been asked to submit details of their inmates, including their contact information, identity card numbers to the local police station. In case of foreign students residing at their facility, the owners will have to submit their passport and visas. These documents will have to be submitted to cops within two weeks of the foreigners joining their facility.