With colleges all set to reopen within the next few days, students of Burhani College at Mazgaon have started a signature campaign to ensure that the college does not relocate to Dombivali as the old
With colleges all set to reopen within the next few days, students of Burhani College at Mazgaon have started a signature campaign to ensure that the college does not relocate to Dombivali as the old dilapidated structure needs to be pulled down and a new one built in its place.
The students say that if the college goes ahead with the relocation students most of who live in the vicinity of Mazgaon will be forced to drop out, as the daily commute will be difficult for them. The college has meanwhile maintained that the relocation of the college is not finalised, as it has not received requisite permissions from the authorities.
According to Heena Kanojia of the Nationalist Students Union of India (NSUI) that has taken up the cause of the students said, “The college management has been planning to move the college premises the pretext of pulling down the structure and building a new one in its place as it has become dilapidated and dangerous. However, rather than finding an alternate location close to Mazgaon, they have decided to shift to Dombivali which is not only far but will also be inconvenient for students, most of whom live in the vicinity of the college,” said Ms Kanojia.
She added that the students have started a signature campaign for the same to deter the college management from going ahead with its plan to relocate the college to Dombivali and will be submitting the same to the University of Mumbai, joint director of higher education and deputy director of education.
According to sources in the college, the management had been trying to get a place on rent for a period of five years in the vicinity of Mazgaon but had been unable to do so as it would involve huge expenses, which would have to be transferred on to the students. The management had also approached the civic body to lease out one of its school premises that was no longer being utilised due to lack of students, but had been unsuccessful. Hence it was decided to relocate the college to Dombivali where a structure is available.
However, Dr Haider Karrar, principal of the college, said that the relocation plan was on hold, as the college had not got permissions from the relevant authorities. “We are conducting admissions for the academic year 2016-17 and hence there is no need for students to panic. The college management is fully aware of the situation and will not take any decision that is detrimental to the student community,” said Dr Karrar.
