Ravenshaw University

Cuttack, Nov. 21: Orissa High Court today asked the public works department to report to it from time to time on the progress of repair at the heritage building of Ravenshaw University.

The court issued the order after taking note of an affidavit that the university had filed citing concern over slow pace of work.

The division bench of Chief Justice Amitava Roy and Justice A.K. Rath directed the works department to file an interim status report about the progress of the work before the matter was taken up after six weeks.

In the affidavit filed by Ravenshaw University registrar Padan Kumar Jena, he conceded that the repairs at the corridors of the physics and chemistry departments, the physics lecture theatre and room No. 38 (occupied by chairman of council of deans) “have not yet started”.

The affidavit reads: “The repair work of the old heritage building of the Ravenshaw University (along with staff quarters) has already started by the works department and, as it appears, almost 20 per cent work is complete. The electrical repair work by the general electrical division has only started last week.”

“The repair work of the chemistry department classrooms appears to have been completed. However, the engineering department is supposed to certify about the quality of work. It can only be ascertained during the rainy season,” Jena said.

On August 5, the high court had directed the secretary of the works department “to monitor and restore the heritage building and complete the repair work within six months”. The decision was taken after an inquiry was conducted considering the alarming situation narrated in a letter petition by some varsity students.

The court had also directed the chief engineer of the general electrical division “to renovate the electric wiring with good quality insulation since the existing wiring has become pretty old and worn-out and complete it within six months”.

The court had registered a PIL on the basis of the petition, which stated that “various problems encountered” by the students and also drew its notice to the “seepage of water from the roofs of classrooms” due to which “the students are getting electric shocks from the walls”.

In his affidavit, the registrar admitted that repair and renovation were needed in the arts block, departments of information technology and management, bachelor in business administration, chemistry, botany, zoology, physics, mathematics, education, geography, geology, commerce, economics, English, psychology, Kanika library, gymnasium and hostels among many others.