LANDI KOTAL, Nov 6: The reopening of hostels of Government Degree College Landi Kotal was delayed owing to a row between the students and management over new disciplinary rules and submission of annual fee, sources said.

The college management had closed down all the three hostels in 2011 after a firing incident between two rival groups of students in which a student was killed.

Later the college management arranged boarding for students coming from far-off places at the principal`s bungalow near the college premises but kept the hostels closed as students were reluctant to furnish guarantees regarding their good conduct.

Shah Mohammad, a senior staff member of the college, told Dawn that the management was ready to accommodate all the students in the threehostels, which were renovated and repaired.

Clarifying the new admission criteria for hostels, he said that all students were required to bring their parents along with signing an affidavit of good conduct. He said that the admitted students were also required to submit annual fee of Rs2,300 which would be spent on the maintenance of hostel buildings in the future.

Shah Mohammad said that the new rules were devised to discourage `qabza mafia` of students some of whom had occupied rooms for more than five years. He said that some students used to keep weapons in the hostel while some of them were involved in immoral activities.

`No such activities could be permitted or tolerated in the future and every student applying for admission to any of the hostels would strictly abideby the new rules and regulations, Shah Mohammad said. He alleged that some students in past used to bring along outsiders to their hotel rooms.

Meanwhile, students from Kam and Loe Shalman areas have demanded immediate reopening of all the boarding houses as they had to come from far-off places, which were at a distance of nearly 30 kilometres from the college.

They said that daily travelling from Kam Shalman had adversely affected their studies and it was also a waste of their time and money. They said that it was difficult for them to reach college on time and attend classes.

They, however, demanded of the college management to relax the new rules as it was difficult for most of them to furnish a written affidavit and they could not afford to deposit monthly fee.