BARIPADA: The protest by students of Bisipur government-run Ashram school in Mayurbhanj’s Khunta block over the poor condition of their hostel on Monday, and their march for over 8 km to meet the collector has stirred strong reactions and outrage among people.
The students said at least 100 boys and 150 girls were staying in the hostel, which they alleged had been running without electricity for more than two months. They also alleged that the hostel was supplying contaminated water and that cooked rice made from bug-ridden and poor-quality rice was being served to the inmates.
The Congress hit out at the state government over the incident, with OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das demanding the resignation of School and Mass Education Minister Nityanand Gond. “It is very unfortunate that hostel students had to walk 8 kilometres in protest against poor facilities in Mayurbhanj,” he said in a post on X.
The students claimed they had repeatedly informed the hostel authorities and the matron about their problems. Although the matron subsequently brought the issues to the notice of the headmaster, their basic problems were yet to be addressed.
The students also alleged that the headmaster often came to the school drunk and abused them. Frustrated by the lack of action, the students left the hostel and blocked the road in front of their school. As their problems remained unaddressed, some of the students walked over 8 km from their school to meet collector Hemakanta Say and apprise him of their grievances.
While they were on the Udala-Baripada road, the welfare extension officer and other officials intercepted them and took them to the Khunta block office for discussions over the issues.
The students called off their protest after the officials assured them that action would be taken against the headmaster and that hostel facilities, including drinking water and electricity, would be improved. They also assured the students that the quality of food would be addressed. The students returned to the school in vehicles arranged by the officials.
District welfare officer (DWO) Guru Charan Mallick said necessary action would be taken against the headmaster and the demands of the students would be addressed as soon as possible.
