About 450 students of the Ekalavya Model School of Dhanghera in Mayurbhanj district took to streets on Friday protesting against what they called the utter negligence of the authorities towards them. However, they were later successfully persuaded by the administration to call off their agitation and resume studies.
The aggrieved students in the forenoon came out of the school premises and began walking to go to the district headquarters town of Baripada to lodge protest with the district administration on their grievances.
They complained about the low quality of food, unhygienic conditions, lack of medicines, dress and other such requirements in their institution. They also demanded their present principal to be immediately shifted.
However, when they had covered about 5 km and reached Brundabanchandrapur on the Baripada-Udala road and were 36 km away from Baripada, the Udala police reached there to stop them. Soon afterwards, the Mayurbhanj DWO, the Kaptipada Sub-Collector and the Udala ITDA PA also rushed to the spot.
The school’s genuine problems would be looked into, they assured the students. The students were also informed of the administration’s decision to send the controversial principal on forced leave. Then, the students agreed to go back to the school.
A Ekalavya Model School, it may be pointed out, is entitled to get all basic facilities free of cost according to rules and norms. But this Dhanghera school, it is alleged, has been facing negligence and deprivation for the last four years, leading to public resentment in the area.