Jawali college still on govt school infra, kids make do with dilapidated building

Rajiv Mahajan

Nurpur, June 10

The Government Degree College at Jawali in Kangra district has been occupying the newly constructed building of the local Government Senior Secondary School (GSSS) for the last six years. Due to this, schoolchildren are forced to study in the old dilapidated school building, causing a lot of resentment among area residents.

The establishment of the government college at Jawali had been announced by then Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur during his visit to Jawali in February, 2018. Its first session started the same year. College classes were started in the newly constructed building of the local GSSS as a temporary arrangement by the state Education Department. The then government had identified land for the construction of the college building next to the GSSS, where college classes are currently being held, earmarking Rs 5 crore for the construction of the building.

Since the change of government, the construction work of the college building has been hanging fire. It was learnt that the government was identifying another piece of land in the Samlana gram panchayat for the construction of the college building, much to the dismay of the residents of Jawali town.

Meanwhile, the GSSS is still waiting to take possession of its newly constructed building.

Local BJP leader Sanjay Guleria, who had contested the last Assembly election from the Jawali constituency, alleged that although the constituency was being represented by Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister Chander Kumar, the area was being neglected by the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government.

He demanded that the government immediately start the construction of the college campus at the land initially identified for it.

College building remains non-starter

• The establishment of the college had been announced by then Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur during his visit to Jawali in February, 2018
• College classes were started in the newly constructed building of the local government school as a temporary arrangement by the state Education Department
• The then government had identified land for the construction of the college building, earmarking Rs 5 crore for the construction of the building
• However, the construction of the college building is yet to be started