Port Blair, Sept. 28: CPI (M) has demanded immediate action to provide hostel accommodation for all the students of JNRM, Port Blair who require such accommodation. In a letter sent to the Lt. Governor, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, D. Ayyappan, Secretary, CPI (M) Andaman & Nicobar State Organising Committee brought to the notice of the Lt. Governor that there is acute shortage of hostel accommodation for the students of JNRM, Port Blair. 

Ayyappan expressed concern that students from outstation islands are forced to stay in rented accommodation at Port Blair paying exorbitant rent.  Most of these students belong to poor families.  Unable to spend such a huge amount of money for the rented accommodation and food, the parents of the students run from pillar to post to get hostel accommodation for their children, CPI (M) Secretary stated in the letter. 

Our inquiry reveals that the construction of the 100-bedded girls hostel building near JNRM is held up due to paucity of funds, CPI (M) Secretary further stated in the letter. He said that the construction of the said hostel was undertaken under the Centrally-sponsored scheme RUSA, but the same could not be completed mainly because of the callous attitude on the part of the authorities in the Administration to provide funds for completion of the hostel. Similarly, repair work of an existing girls hostel building which was damaged in the earthquake 2 – 3 years ago is also held up due to administrative reasons. If both these buildings are made available, the shortage of hostel accommodation for girls can be solved to a great extent. 

CPI (M) Secretary further stated in the letter that it has been noticed that like other sectors, higher education in the islands is also a neglected sector, owing to lack of coordination among the Colleges and Administration and authoritarian style of functioning of the concerned officers in the Administration, resulting in the unnecessary hardship for the poorer sections of students in the colleges.  

Ayyappan, therefore, requested the Lt. Governor to review the non-availability of hostel accommodation for JNRM students and issue necessary directions to the authorities concerned to make available sufficient number of hostel accommodation for the JNRM students so that the students from poor families of rural areas can continue their studies at Port Blair.