Puri: Demolition of the boundary walls of Patherpuri Hostel, which carries the memories of Vishwakabi Rabindranath Tagore, has stirred a hornets’ nest as the alumni of Samanta Chandra Sekhar (SCS) College here have vehemently opposed the move.
An action committee of ex-students of SCS College has urged the district administration to take immediate steps to renovate the dilapidated hostel.
The committee also threatened to intensify its agitation if the administration does not reconstruct the boundary walls of the hostel within a week.
“Patherpuri Hostel bears the memories of Vishwakabi Rabindranath Tagore. A single inch land of the old hostel cannot be diverted to any other activities. The administration should take immediate steps to preserve the hostel. The student and youth mass will not tolerate any attempt to divert the hostel land for other use,” said members of the action committee at a press conference here Thursday.
Members of the action committee have decided to meet SCS College principal, the local MP and MLA to put forth their demand for preservation of Patherpuri Hostel.
Among others, SCS College former students Sujit Mahapatra, Bhabani Shankar Acharya, Umakanta Nayak, Sashwat Mahapatra, Rajesh Mishra, Chetan Mishra, Sanjeev Rathsharma, Bhagwan Padhiary, Jayanta Kumar Dash, Rabinarayan Nayak and Bishwanath Dash were present at the press conference.
According to locals, Tagore had landed properties in Chakratirtha area of Puri. He had constructed a building on the land and named it as Patharpuri. The renowned poet used to stay at Patherpuri during his visits to the Holy city. Tagore had written some of his poems during his visits to the Pilgrim city, locals claimed.
The locals further claimed that Tagore had donated Patherpuri to SCS College for the establishment of a hostel. Patherpuri was converted into a hostel in 1945. Subsequently, a ladies hostel, named as Sukanya Hostel, was constructed near Patherpuri hostel.
“Around 300 students were staying at Patherpuri and Sukanya Hostels. Patherpuri Hostel had celebrated its golden jubilee in 1998. However, the two hostels were shut for students around a couple of years ago. Since then, no step has been taken to renovate the dilapidated hostels,” said a few locals.
Recently, the administration had demolished a portion of the boundary walls of Patherpuri Hostel for expansion of a road to the Blue Flag beach of Puri, sources said.
