By Nayak Paudel
Kathmandu, Nov. 8: Kunjan Raj Bhandari, a BSc IT student at KIST College in Kathmandu, has been living at his home in Urlabari, Morang since mid-March, when academic institutions closed and continue to remain so because of COVID-19 pandemic-induced restrictive measures.
Kunjan is among thousands of students who have returned to their homes -- in different parts of the country -- from the Kathmandu Valley. Ever since he returned home, Kunjan has been wondering when things would return to normal and his college would re-open. However, eight months into the pandemic, uncertainties continue to loom over educational institutions, which is why they are still unable to conduct physical classes.
To make matters worse, those students are still made to pay their room’s rents, despite their not occupying them for months.
"I haven’t lived at my room in Kathmandu since mid-March and have no reason to return. Nevertheless, I am bound to pay my rent every month even though I have no job and COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected my family’s income as well," said Kunjan.
According to Kunjan, it is a waste paying for a room in this situation, but he cannot leave the room outright as educational institutions might resume operation any time soon and he will have to return.
“Until then, I have no choice but to keep paying the rent," Kunjan told The Rising Nepal by phone.
Meanwhile, Kunjan argues that a rental waiver from the landlord is the need of the hour. But that hasn’t happened yet. The government had also requested landlords to provide some waiver, but only a few abided by the request.
"For my landlord, rent is the only means of income and so he cannot think of waiving the rent. But I cannot vacate the room right away as there are many stuffs in the room," said Kunjan.
As the cases of COVID-19 continues to rise, it is likely to worsen further with the increase in movement of people due to festival season. That is why, academic institutions might remain closed until foreseeable future. It is, therefore, students will keep paying the rent even when they are hardly able to do so. Since it is not an isolated case impacting one or two students but thousands upon thousands students, government should come forward to help them out.
"Students leaders and their organisations are someone whose voices are heeded, so they also should take the initiative to solve this problem, which is aggravating day by day” he added.
“We expect the concerned authorities to do something that will help us students who are bound to pay their rents every month and in the process increase financial pressure on our parents," said Nabin Dahal, a BBS student in Nepal Commerce Campus and a permanent resident of Butwal.
Nabin has also been living in Butwal ever since government imposed lockdown eight months ago but has to pay his monthly rent.