CUTTACK: Peeved over having their long-standing problems, including classroom shortage, unsafe drinking water and dirty toilets disregarded, students of the odia department of Ravenshaw University on Thursday staged dharna inside the office of registrar Kanhu Charan Mallik, confining him in the room for several hours.
They said that around 400 students were pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the odia department. However, just two classrooms were available for them which made it difficult to accommodate so many students on a regular basis.
“Shortage of classrooms is disrupting teaching and learning activities. The internal exams are currently underway and the semester exams are about to begin in a few days. Such disruptions can affect our career,” they complained.
This apart, the students also alleged that they were being forced to drink unsafe water as the only water purifier installed in the corridor was lying defunct for long. “The toilets are also lying uncleaned. Use of unsafe drinking water and unclean toilets can pose many health risks,” the agitators rued.
They said they had put forth the issues before the university authorities time and again but to no avail. The agitators further warned of intensifying protest if the university authorities failed to resolve their issues immediately.
The dharna was later called off after V-C Prof Arka Kumar Das Mohapatra assured the students of resolving their issues within 15 days.
