Flood-hit colleges eye World Bank aid

Bismah Malik

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 17

The flood-hit colleges in Srinagar are relying on the World Bank aid as they have “no expectations” from the government as far as revamping the infrastructure of colleges is concerned.

A 10-member World Bank team which had visited the Valley post September floods last year had assured of all possible financial help to the flood-hit population with special allocation for the education sector.

Some of the major colleges of the Valley, including Amar Singh College, Srinagar; Government College for Women, MA Road; SP College and Government College, Bemina; have not received any financial assistance from the state government.

Much of the damaged infrastructure at these colleges has not been revamped and efforts are afoot to use funds from the college development pool for reconstruction purposes.

Sources told The Tribune that Education Minister Naeem Akhter during his recent visit to the city colleges had directed them to use funds which were at their disposal.

“Seventy per cent of the college infrastructure was hit during the floods. We have not been able to revive even half of the damaged infrastructure due to paucity of funds. Our laboratories are still not operational due to which our science students are suffering immensely,” said Rubeena, Head of the English Department at Government College for Women, MA Road.

The college had also lost important official records as well as thousands of books in the floods.

Since libraries in these colleges are not yet digitised there is little hope of retrieving the lost stuff.

“With the help of annual funds we have been able to buy some furniture so that class work and official work doesn’t get much affected. But there is not much we could do with this money,” she said.

Principal, Amar Singh College, Zahoor Ahmad Chat said he was hopeful of some funds coming their way from the World Bank.

“Many officials from the Education Department, including the Education Minister of the previous government, visited our college, which is one of the worst hit. The damage assessment was also done. We were asked to submit budget proposal for reconstruction but we haven’t received anything from the government till now,” the principal said.

He said when the directions for re-opening of colleges came, they pooled in money from college funds to at least make a part of the college building functional.

“We are not sure of how this session will go as classes are yet to start. But the funds are badly needed for bringing the higher education sector back on track,” Chat said.