Kendrapara: Six days have gone by since the death of a PlusII science student who was electrocuted at a private residential coaching centre in this district. However, till now the authorities have not taken any action against the officials of the coaching centre leaving people shocked. The deceased, identified as Debi Prasad Das, son of Kunja Bihari Das was electrocuted November 2 after accidentally coming in contact with an 11-KV transmission wire which was hanging precariously close to the balcony of the coaching centre at Luna under Marshaghai police limits in Kendrapara district. It has been alleged that the students studying in this coaching centre were living in cramped rooms while the 11-KV transmission wire was located just two feet away from the balcony.
Police registered a case and arrested the manager of the coaching centre, Chittaranjan Rath over a complaint filed by the deceased’s father. However, since then nothing has happened. The local intelligentsia has termed the arrest as eyewash. They claimed that the police have applied lenient sections of the law against Rath so that it is easy for him to get bail. Locals also claimed that private educational institutions are only fleecing students in the name of education. They alleged that the district administration is not taking action by conducting verification of the institutions. They warned that they will file a writ petition in the high court if no action is taken in this regard.
Local intelligentsia Ganesh Chandra Samal, Chitta Ranjan Sahu, Prasant Kumar Nayak, social activists Amarbar Biswal and Goutam Kumar Behera said that earlier teaching was considered a noble profession. Currently, both the Centre and state government are laying stress on quality education. Taking advantage of this situation, the private institutions have commercialised education. These institutions pay scant respect for the safety of the students, they alleged.
Locals also said that the state government has ample provisions and power to conduct verifications of these institutions and take action against them. However, due to the apathetic attitude of the authorities, private coaching centres have mushroomed not only in this district but all over Odisha, they added.
Many of these institutions are also operating without no objection certificates and without observing the relevant guidelines, they further said. When contacted, ADM Pitambar Samal said the boy’s death has also shocked the entire administration. He assured that corrective measures will be put in place very soon.
