Ranchi: Ahead of their semester exams from September 6, hostel boarders at government-run Polytechnic College, Bahu Bazaar, uploaded a YouTube video on Wednesday on how they were forced to live without power and water since Monday.
Some 250 students live in two hostel buildings here with 150 rooms. Students have alleged that the college cut their water and power supply to force them to vacate the hostel.
Authorities of Polytechnic College had issued a notice last Saturday asking all students to vacate the hostel on Sunday in the wake of a clash that left one injured. To justify its vacate order, authorities claimed the hostel had many illegal occupants and also said the building needed repairs.
But when asked if the college cut power and water supply to the hostel to force students out, principal R.K. Sahu ducked a direct reply. "Please go and see the hostel. Broken wires are lying all over the place. The hostel always had a problem of power and water and that is why we want to repair it. Also over 60 per cent occupants are illegal," he told this correspondent.
Students completely disagree. "We are being punished for the clash, but why should all students be punished for the folly of a few," runs the refrain.
"We made a YouTube video just to highlight our plight before the world as our repeated pleas before the college management to restore power and water connection fell on deaf years. We also went to meet officials at State Board of Technical Education under which all polytechnic colleges come, on Wednesday evening, for help. But they (SBTE) said they couldn't do anything as it was a college matter," claimed a student.
Vicky Kumar, a third-year student of diploma in civil engineering, said a few of them met the principal and requested him to give them in writing that students would be allot hostels (alternative accommodation) before they vacated the existing one.
"He did not agree. We then requested him to at least give us time as our exams are nearing, but that too fell on deaf ears?" rued Kumar, who hails from Bokaro and whose father is a daily wager. "I can't afford private accommodation."
A fourth-year semester student of the same stream, Satish Kumar questioned the logic of all students being forced to vacate the hostel. "If one student is bad, why should all be punished?" he asked. "I come from a poor family in Palamau and am a genuine student. There are no illegal occupants. All boarders are from various batches, various semesters and streams."
He added that if they had the means to afford a private college or room, they wouldn't have stayed under such circumstances. "For the last four days, all I am doing is to fetching water from wherever possible for washroom work and studying whenever I can for my semester exam from September 6."
Another student from Latehar said he could not afford rent. "Annually, Rs 1,000 is taken by college for hostel facilities. Now, I am not getting any room less than Rs 5,000 per month. My father and mother are small time farmers," rued the mechanical engineering diploma student, requesting his name not be published.
Principal Sahu however said the decision asking students to vacate the hostel had been made. On why it could not be done after exams, he said "Then again some other problem will come up. In the recent clash one student got badly injured. A police case was filed against culprits. We now want to make this hostel entirely student-friendly. This is the right time. Temporary problems have to be faced for better things to come."