Ranchi, July 22: Several students of S.S. Memorial College, one of the oldest constituent colleges of Ranchi University on Kanke Road, today set afloat paper boats on the waterlogged campus as a symbolic protest against the vexatious issue that makes regular attendance difficult during the monsoon.
Non-stop rains in Ranchi from Friday evening till today afternoon have inundated the college campus that has no proper outlet to drain out the water. Many students couldn't attend classes today and went back home from the campus gate.
"How will I go inside? See how garbage is flowing on the stagnant water," said Sameer Singh, a second year BCom student. Singh later decided to catch a movie along with his friends.
The college has around 36 rooms, including laboratories, and over 17,000 students are enrolled in various undergraduate and post-graduate courses.
Ashutosh Dwivedi, president of S.S. Memorial College students' union, said they had submitted several memoranda to the principal Nand Kumar demanding concrete pavements within the campus but the authorities kept complaining about funds crunch.
"Whenever it rains, venturing inside the college becomes a challenge. Our principal only cries about funds crunch," he said, adding that they are planning to gherao the varsity office soon to press for smooth and safe passage for students inside the college.
"The rooms don't leak, but the waterlogged campus makes movement difficult. Students and teachers have to take off their shoes and walk barefoot from one class to another. There was knee-deep water inside the building today morning," he said, adding that the lack of proper drainage has compounded the problem.
A 1st year student of the economics department said besides serving as a breeding ground for mosquitoes and a carrier of infectious diseases , the stagnant water attracted snakes.
"We are terrorised by mosquitoes inside the classrooms and snakes outside. It's unfortunate that the condition of a college in the state capital is so pitiable at a time the government is talking about improving education and infrastructure," he said.
The principal couldn't be reached for comments.
