Silvester D'Souza

Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Nov 30: It is said that in constructing a new building in the heart of the town, Bhandarkar's College managing committee that has been serving the educational needs of the taluk since the last some decades, has violated rules framed by the municipal council. It is learnt that when the health officer of the municipality went to the spot to instruct the concerned to suspend construction work, the managing committee of the college kept him in confinement in a room and restricted his movements. 

The college management had obtained approval from the local municipality for the construction of a building comprising a ground floor and first floor inside its campus here. The municipality had received complaints from the general public that the college is building a two-storied building in violation of the permission obtained. Chief Officer of the municipality, Gopalakrishna Shetty, reportedly had asked health officer of the municipality, Sharath, to visit the spot and file an inspection report. When Sharath went to the spot of the construction, college principal reportedly led him to a room in the guise of providing him all information, and then kept him in confinement there, Sharath has alleged. Chief Officer of the municipality, Gopalakrishna Shetty, on getting information, rushed to the spot and directed the concerned to suspend construction work. Besides getting Sharath released from confinement, he warned the college management of registering criminal complaint against them. During this development, local police provided protection to the officials.

Bhandarkar's College happens to be one of the prestigious educational institutions from this part of the state. The college, which reportedly has encroached upon government land, was expected to sincerely serve education sector. However, there are allegations that it is giving more importance to augmenting its income by building commercial complexes. Relating to this allegation, the previous tahasildar here, Gayathri Nayak, had served notice to the college for depriving the government of its genuine revenue. During the election too, after the local sub-divisional officer and tahasildar were involved with friction with college principal, the college had been locked out. The people in general are critical of the violation of rules by the college management, which should have become a guiding light for the young people.