Netaji Subash Chandra Bose College in Sambalpur. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, June 23: Netaji Subash Chandra Bose College here, which was granted the status of “government lead college” of Sambalpur district by the state government in 1990, is dogged by problems allegedly because of administrative apathy.

The college, which was being run by a private trust, came into government hands in 1982.

Until almost the next seven years, the college did not have its own building and was run from the town hall. In 1990, it shifted to its present 8.5 acre campus at Pilakandeipara in Maneswar block.

Infrastructure woes of the college did not end even after it moved to its permanent building. To start with, the college still does not have regular water supply. Lack of drinking water facility has remained a major concern for both staff and students. Although the college has more than 1,400 students, there is no hostel facility to accommodate those who come from outside the district. Plus Two science students alleged they were not getting proper guidance in the absence of a laboratory assistant and attendant.

“Though Netaji Subash Chandra Bose College has been endowed with the status of a ‘government lead college’, it is crippled with infrastructure problems. As per the norms, a ‘government lead college’ should have got a lot of facilities. The college has been named after Netaji Subash Chandra Bose but there is no statue of the freedom fighter on the campus,” said principal Dilip Parichha.

The principal alleged that despite drawing the attention of the higher authorities on several occasions, there had hardly been any initiative to improve the situation.

“The college building is lying in a dilapidated condition and classrooms need immediate repair.

“During monsoon, it becomes difficult for us to conduct classes as rainwater constantly seeps through the roof. We had also urged the block authorities to repair the road in front of the college. But all this seems to have gone in vain,” said Parichha.

Laxmidhar Jena, who studies in the college, said students hesitate to take admission here as it was located far away from the city.

“The road leading to the college is in a bad condition. One could conveniently reach the college only if the government constructed a bridge over the Haradjor river,” he said.

Pawan Kumar Ahir, a Plus Three final-year commerce student of the college, said the college playground was full of wild shrubs.

“We heard that a grant of Rs 10 lakh was received from the Western Orissa Development Council to develop the ground, but the amount was not sufficient,” he said.