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| Appalling: Students of Government Junior College for Boys at Malakpet are forced to sit outdoors due to the precarious condition of the college building. |
Junior college in sorry state By Swathi.V
HYDERABAD: Even as the sun blazes down on the city, the inside of the Government Junior College for Boys at Malakpet is dank, dark and all mouldy.
A half of each classroom is discarded and students huddle in the other half towards exit, hoping to escape the imminent wall-collapse. Torrential rain of this season have only increased their fears.
“Seven classrooms, five labs and the library are in a ramshackle condition. It has been raining copiously, and we are in constant fear. Rainwater streams into the classrooms too,” says Pradip (name changed), a student. For fear of collapse, some classes are even conducted outdoors.
Water seepage through walls messed up the light tubes and students struggle to read in the sparse daylight. Equipment in labs was partially damaged due to exposure to moisture. Walls developed lengthy cracks and chipped in large patches. Mosquitoes flourished inside the college with abandon. In addition, toilets are defunct and there is no water supply.
To put it in a nutshell, the 50-year-old building badly needs replacement, while the powers that be are not even willing to grant funds for repairs. This could be the status of all the government junior colleges constructed decades ago, because money for Intermediate education does not come easy. Till 15 years ago, engineers from Public Works Department would make an annual assessment of all government buildings and carry out the required repairs. Now they don't do it because funds are not available.
Board of Intermediate Education recently released a meagre Rs.3 lakh through the Social Welfare Department, but the engineers who came for inspection concluded that the funds would not suffice even the slab repairs.
According to sources, college authorities have written to the Director of Intermediate Education who directed them to request the district Collector for allocation from MPLAD funds.
The Collector in turn asked them to get permission from either of the two MPs whose funds remained unused.
“Now, it has become our responsibility to go with a begging bowl. It is in such conditions we are to improve the pass percentage of students many of who are children of migrant labourers and can't afford education in private colleges. If the college collapses, they will be forced to stop studies,” lecturers say.
As of now, only 300-plus of the 700 students admitted into the college attend classes, they say.
A half of each classroom is discarded and students huddle in the other half towards exit, hoping to escape the imminent wall-collapse. Torrential rain of this season have only increased their fears.
“Seven classrooms, five labs and the library are in a ramshackle condition. It has been raining copiously, and we are in constant fear. Rainwater streams into the classrooms too,” says Pradip (name changed), a student. For fear of collapse, some classes are even conducted outdoors.
Water seepage through walls messed up the light tubes and students struggle to read in the sparse daylight. Equipment in labs was partially damaged due to exposure to moisture. Walls developed lengthy cracks and chipped in large patches. Mosquitoes flourished inside the college with abandon. In addition, toilets are defunct and there is no water supply.
To put it in a nutshell, the 50-year-old building badly needs replacement, while the powers that be are not even willing to grant funds for repairs. This could be the status of all the government junior colleges constructed decades ago, because money for Intermediate education does not come easy. Till 15 years ago, engineers from Public Works Department would make an annual assessment of all government buildings and carry out the required repairs. Now they don't do it because funds are not available.
Board of Intermediate Education recently released a meagre Rs.3 lakh through the Social Welfare Department, but the engineers who came for inspection concluded that the funds would not suffice even the slab repairs.
According to sources, college authorities have written to the Director of Intermediate Education who directed them to request the district Collector for allocation from MPLAD funds.
The Collector in turn asked them to get permission from either of the two MPs whose funds remained unused.
“Now, it has become our responsibility to go with a begging bowl. It is in such conditions we are to improve the pass percentage of students many of who are children of migrant labourers and can't afford education in private colleges. If the college collapses, they will be forced to stop studies,” lecturers say.
As of now, only 300-plus of the 700 students admitted into the college attend classes, they say.
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