Work begins on Khallikote College foot over-bridge

Construction work on a foot overbridge to connect two sections of Khallikote Autonomous College in the city has started. It was a long-standing demand of students of the institution and citizens of the city. This more than a century-old heritage educational institution is located in the heart of Berhampur by the side of the stretch of NH-59 that passes through the city. Its main block is on one side of the highway. Its large stadium, indoor sports complex, and building of the Junior College is on the other side of the road. Students and teachers face problem throughout the day to cross the highway to travel from one section of the college to the other as the traffic on this stretch of highway is quite high. During peak hours it also causes traffic jam. In the past, there were accidents in front of the institution in which students were injured by speeding vehicles while crossing the road. The foot overbridge is being built at a cost of around Rs. 110 lakh and a major chunk of investment is being provided by the State government.

Source: The Hindu

Berhampur Municipal Corporation libraries buried in heaps of neglect

By: Sisir Panigrahy

Books covered by layers of dust and in disarray, the rich variety at four libraries maintained by Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BMC) often go unnoticed by visitors. Several books are in dire need of restoration, new ones are unavailable and there isn’t enough staff. Since many of the books are early editions, conservation techniques need to be updated, said sources. The air conditioners, TVs and computers at these libraries are non-functional. The generators hardly have any fuel to run. Computerized bibliographies in these libraries are a dream for the readers.

One of the BMC libraries, located near the Berhampur Press Club, is frequented by readers. However, this one is dogged by problems of poor maintenance - just as most other public libraries are in the city. The library has two halls which are insufficient to accommodate the growing number of readers. On an average, over 200 people visit the library daily.

Although BMC supplies 12 newspapers and over 20 periodicals every month, no new titles have been purchased yet. The library manages with its 7,000 old books that have been there since its inception.

The BMC also owns a research library established in the name of Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati. Books and encyclopedias worth Rs.2 lakh were brought to the library when it was opened in 1993.

Since then no new books have been added to the collection. Because of its poor upkeep, the research library’s popularity is on the wane.

Intelligentsia said although BMC collects tax from people, no concrete measures are being taken for maintenance and development of the libraries. They have demanded the State Government’s intervention to establish a well-furnished library in the city. Source: IBN Live

OSRTC land transferred to Khallikote Autonomous College

Revenue Minister Surya Narayan Patra handing over
the Record of Rights of the land to the principal of
Khallikote Autonomous College for its expansion in Berhampur

Around two acres of land of the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) was officially handed over to more than 125-year-old Khallikote Autonomous College in the city at a function held on the college campus on Friday. It was almost a five-decade-old demand fulfilled. Revenue officials handed over the patta of these two acres of OSRTC land to the principal of the Khallikote Autonomous College, Surendranath Behera. State Revenue Minister Surya Narayan Patra, Sub-Collector Ajit Mishra, Mayor Siba Shankar Das, Berhampur teshildar Satrughna Kar, Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahy, and Berhampur MLA R.C.C. Patnaik, State secretariat member of the CPI (M) and member of governing body of the autonomous college Ali Kishore Patnaik, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) secretary Bikram Panda were present.

Students and dignitaries of the city present at the function cheered when the formal land transfer was announced. Speakers at the function thanked the Chief Minister for the transfer.

It may be noted that since past several decades demand for transfer of land of the OSRTC adjacent to the college was taken up by students and citizens of the city, irrespective of their party affiliation.

But they were not satisfied with transfer of the land. During the function there was a demand for transfer of total 4.029 acres of the OSRTC to the college. At present a portion of the land has been handed over to the college. Mr. Patnaik, whose memorandum to the Chief Minister in 2008 regarding the matter had played major catalyst in the process of transfer of the land, said now the State government should take steps so that the rest 2.029 acres of land of the OSRTC gets transferred to the college as soon as possible. He also demanded immediate release of funds for construction of buildings on the land that was handed over the college. Mr. Panda termed the transfer of land as a victory of longstanding united effort for which people of the city got together forgetting their differences. The State Revenue Minister reiterated that the State government was making efforts to transform the autonomous college into a deemed university.

Source: The Hindu