The remnants of the balcony wall of Radha Krishnan Hostel of Khallikote Autonomous College in Berhampur. Pictures by Gopal Krishna Reddy

Berhampur, Nov. 2: One student was injured after a 60ft-long chunk of the first-floor balcony wall of Radha Krishnan Hostel of Khallikote Autonomous College here collapsed yesterday.

“The injured student, Pintu Jena, is a final-year Plus Three arts student. He left for his native place Malkangiri MV 1 village immediately on the evening. Pintu was staying at room No. 34,” president of the Khallikote Autonomous College students’ union, Santosh Kumar Sahu said.

Sahu said left side of the balcony wall on the first floor had been in a dilapidated state since long. “We have approached college principal S.N. Behera and junior engineer of the public works department several times earlier, but in vain. This is a sheer negligence on part of the authority,” said Sahu.

“More than 217 students, including 17 visually challenged students, stay in the hostel. All the visually challenged students are accommodated in three rooms on first floor, where the wall collapsed,” said Sahu.

The balcony wall adjoining four rooms, including No. 32 to 35, collapsed at about 12.30pm. Pintu was hurt as he was on the balcony at that time,” said general secretary of the hostel Shankar Prasad Sahu.

“The hostel is in a dilapidated state. Plastering of the walls and roof are alarmingly falling. The kitchen roof made of tin also collapsed about a fortnight ago. There are severe electricity problems in the hostel though Southco is charging Rs 530 from each student a month. The electricity wiring in the hostel is not up to the mark. The electric meter has developed problem since the last two months,” said the hostel general secretary.

Behera said: “We have intimated the public works department to initiate urgent renovation of the hostel several times in the recent past, but no action has been taken.”

“We requested the executive engineer of the public works department on November 20 last year for repair work in the hostel. Though one year has been elapsed, no major and urgent work is over,” said the principal.

Bhagaban Behera, a visually challenged Plus Three student, alleged that six of them were compelled to stay in one room each, though there was provision of four students to be accommodated in one room.

“We are paying the same amount for accommodation, yet we are facing space crunch,” said the student.

Though chief minister Naveen Patnaik had announced free hostel accommodation for the visually challenged students, it had not been worked out here, said he.