Other States - Pondicherry   

Students forced to stage sit-in protest

By Our Staff Reporter

PONDICHERRY, AUG. 31. Students of the government-run college at Thavalakuppam near here today resorted to a sit-in dharna, protesting against the lack of basic amenities.

The students told The Hindu that despite several requests and protests in the past nothing had been done to improve conditions. "Nine batches of students have passed out of the college so far and all of them have protested in some way or the other, their demands have fallen on deaf ears", allege the students.

The college does not even have a separate campus or building; it shares a building with the Thavalakuppam Government Higher Secondary School. The college functions from the first floor, while the school occupies the ground floor.

The students complain that even their drinking water is not safe. "The sump is open and the school students wash their noon meal plates in the water that we are forced to use for drinking," say the students. "There are no separate toilets for girls and boys. When a boy uses the toilet we tell the girls to stay outside and vice- versa".

Taken over

The college, which offers B.Com and B.Com (Cooperative), was formerly an annexe of the Tagore Arts College at Lawspet. But following a Government Order it was taken over by the Union Territory of Pondicherry Arts Science and Technology Colleges Society.

Though the college has been taken over by the society, it still bears the name of the Tagore Arts College (TAC) annexe and the TAC has conducted admissions for this year to the college.

The classrooms are dusty and have no windowpanes; loose wires can be seen everywhere. In fact, the students connect the live wires to make the fans run. The college does not have a phone; it doesn't have a bus service either which means that students have to walk more than two kilometres from the main road.

The students are a confused lot since when they went to TAC to demand books for the library and sports kits, they were told that TAC had no connection whatsoever with the Thavalakuppam college.

When this reporter tried to reach officials of the department concerned, they were all away on official business; the office staff refused to give details to the press.

The Education Minister, K. Lakshminarayanan, however told this reporter that the Government plans to acquire land for the college, construct a new building and provide a separate campus.

Asked about the students' complaints, he said he would call for an explanation from the department.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

• Students forced to stage sit-in protest
• No misinformation on cancer please: Lakhera

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu