Pics: Ramesh Pandith
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP/SHS)
Mangalore, Jul 15: Hundreds of students under the banner of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Tuesday July 15 descended on the streets of the city to protest against the shifting of Puttur's Kaniyoor first grade college to Belandoor due to lack of facilities and shortage of faculty.
Some days ago, the regional joint director of collegiate education in the department of education had said that as per the orders issued by the deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district, classes have begun in Belandoor government college from June 23 onwards. The college was shifted as it was said that there was no congenial atmosphere for running a degree college at Kaniyoor due to lack of facilities. Between 2008-2013 no land was identified or granted for construction of college building, and the grant released for construction of college was unspent.
The college, which was shifted all of a sudden from Kaniyoor, was ordered to become functional in the building of a primary school in Belandoor. The college at Kaniyoor was ordered to cease to exist, and all the teaching and non-teaching staff of the college along with students were instructed to report for duty at Belandoor.
The issue had even reached the portals of the state Assembly with Sullia MLA S Angara sitting in dharna. Angara had complained that the college, with 150 students, which was functioning in
Kaniyoor since the last five years, had been suddenly shifted to Belandoor without his consultation. Thereafter, higher education minister R V Deshpande had agreed to hold discussions with the district incharge minister and deputy commissioner about the issue before taking a suitable decision in the matter.
On Tuesday, the protestors further stated that while Kaniyoor college had 150 students and only five guest lecturers, there were 10 lecturers for only 13 students at Belandoor.
Ramesh, former working president of ABVP, Yatish, district convenver and Shyam Bhat, ABVP state executive committee member, spoke on the occasion and said that the students at Belandoor should be shifted to Kaniyoor and more lecturers should be appointed there.
They also accused the Mangalore University of lethargy in sending the enrolment list of newly-admitted students to the college.
On the mysterious death of 17-year-old girl near Byndoor in Kundapur, the protestors demanded that there be fair investigation. "The case should not die down like that of Akshata murder or Sowjanya case," they said, urging the DC to come out with a progress report on the investigation into the Sowjanya rape and murder case.
Ashwini, a member of ABVP, also spoke on the occasion.
Prior to the protest meet, the students marched from Dr Ambedkar circle to DC's office.