Ravenshaw Junior College in Cuttack

Cuttack, May 6: Orissa High Court today endorsed the government’s decision to relocate Ravenshaw Junior College.

The court gave its approval after advocate-general Ashok Mohanty said that the decision was taken yesterday by a high-powered committee headed by the chief secretary.

The committee had decided to come up with a new building and other infrastructure for the junior college at a vacant land outside the university campus, Mohanty said.

The court was adjudicating on a PIL on inadequacies of the university filed by Chittaranjan Mohanty, an advocate and former president of Ravenshaw College.

The junior college, which has over 1,600 students, functions from the campus of Ravenshaw University.

Junior college students occupy most classrooms of the varsity till 12noon, while those studying Plus Two science use the laboratories till 1pm.

Following a court order, senior advocate Saktidhar Das, as amicus curiae, had submitted a report on the affairs of the university. Indicating shortage of classrooms and problems in conducting classes, Das, in his report, suggested shifting of the Ravenshaw Junior College.

“About eight acres of land outside the present campus of Ravenshaw University beside Malgodown Road with six old quarters can be demolished and proper construction can be made for the Plus Two junior college,” the report suggested.

The court had adjourned the matter for hearing along with reply of state government.

When the PIL came up for hearing today, the advocate-general said the high-powered committee had accepted the suggestions in the report of the amicus curiae.

“The division bench of Chief Justice A.K. Goel and Justice A.K. Rath directed the state government to file an affidavit indicating the steps taken to implement its decision to relocate the Ravenshaw Junior College,” petitioner’s counsel Kshirod Rout said.