Rourkela: Though the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) had sanctioned Rs 50 lakh to set up a girls’ hostel here for tribal girls, the authorities use the two-storey building as their office, a report said.
When contacted, Pramila Samal, principal of Kalyani Ray block grant college, at Hamirpur on the outskirts of the city, said the office earlier functioned from an asbestos-roofed house which was later demolished and replaced by the hostel. Office work would suffer if the building is converted to a girls’ hostel, the principal argued.
Besides, a borewell in the building gorges out muddy water that may pose health hazards to girls if they are housed here, she reasoned.
Depriving tribal girls of hostel facilities and using the building as a principal’s chamber and office for over an year have triggered resentment among locals.
Over 700 students – 128 seats in Arts, 128 in Science, 56 in Commerce departments of Plus II and a same number of seats in respective departments of Plus III study in this co-ed college of which 300 are girls. The hostel was built to accommodate at least 100 tribal girls to help the needy. However, the principal of Plus II college continued to use it as the office, it was learnt.
When sought for an opinion, Kamalakanta Das, the principal of Plus III section, said the building had been handed over to the principal of Plus II wing and he has no control over the affairs.
ITDA project administrator Tuku Barik said the girls’ hostel building was handed over to the college authorities a year back and the same is being used as a personal chamber of the principal and office. A notice was served on the college to allow girls to stay in the building immediately, he added. PNN
