350 lab rats starve to death at Panjab University during lockdown

CHANDIGARH: In the absence of an attendant during lockdown, 350 rats starved to death in the department of biophysics, PU. When scholars and the attendant returned to the lab, they found the dead animals.
The animals died despite the fact that attendants got special permission and pass to feed them on the recommendation of the university advisory. The animal house caters to the south campus departments.
Department of biophysics chairperson Sarvnarinder Kaur denied any negligence and claimed that the animals were cared for during the lockdown. She conceded to the fact that the attendant could not come to the lab initially after imposition of lockdown in March 2020. However, the animal house attendant was given a pass.
She said the department purchased animal feed and the house attendant ensured supply of food and water, besides maintaining cleanliness. Sources said the company hired by the university has a receipt stating that the department handed over 30 kg dead animals to them. The chairperson said a person is deputed to collect dead animals for disposal in an incinerator. She said he could not come during the lockdown because of which animals which died in phases were dumped together.
While the chairperson claimed that the number of dead animals is inflated and they don't belong to the department of biophysics alone, she did not specify the number from her department. The deep freezer contains all the dead animals belonging to different departments, she added.
Sources said the animal attendant of the biophysics department lives in Derabassi due to which an employee from Sector 14 was deployed. It is the duty of the scholar or attendant to feed the animal. But due to lockdown, scholars could not visit the campus and responsibility lay with the attendant.