This news would certainly be shocking to many now. The sensational news is more than 900 students and 30 staffs belonging to a constituent college of University of Madras or MU in Thiruvottriyur, Chennai are now in huge fear regarding the ceilings of dilapidated buildings that are above 40 years falling on their heads.
A corporation school is present on the Poonthottam Road and in this school only the constituent college belonging to MU functions. It must be noted that 7 years back this college began functioning in this school as a temporary arrangement. On the same campus are present a unitary complex with angawadi centre, a corporation primary school, a special tahsildars office and a park.
It is important to mention here that there are just 4 toilets present each for men and women. A staff member expressed his thoughts about this building. He spoke about how almost all the buildings were in bad shape.
It has been mentioned by a syndicate member of the university that despite the fund crunch, the university had planned financial help to plaster the ceilings and to undertake maintenance work. He was unhappy about the college not able to get a piece of land for another building.
In this constituent co-education college of MU, there are more girl students studying and that is more than 70 percent. Point is none of the 30 odd teaching staffs are full time employees. Various courses offered in this college are BA (Tamil), BA (English), BCA, B.Com (General) and B.Com (Computer Applications). There are as many as 15 guest lecturers and 15 part time guest lecturers in this college. It must be taken into account that 15 classrooms are needed for the students but the college has got just 8 classrooms. To accommodate the students, the classes are being conducted in 2 sessions with first session from 8:10 am to 12:45 pm and the second session from 1pm to 5:35 pm.
The economically backward students belonging to places like Thiruvottriyur, Manali, Kavarapettai and Ponneri study in this constituent college of MU. It is now said that this college could have as many as 3000 students if the facilities are better. A former MLA, Mr. Kuppan played important role in the opening of this college and he spoke about how in Thiruvottriyur no vacant lands were available to build a college. He then shed light on how the government had allotted a piece of land near Ernavoor flyover and how the land was mortaged by a government agency for the sake of loan.
Finally he revealed about the 3 acres of land allotted by the government near CPCL, Manali and how due to pollution and access issues the proposal has been kept pending.