Srinagar, Oct 10: Outraged at “denial of basic amenities,” students of National Institute of Technology (NIT) here staged a protest inside the campus on Monday.
 They alleged that institute sans basic amenities and demanded that NIT management should provide the details of the funds sanctioned by Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) for welfare of students.
 “We were protesting peacefully, but the institute administration called police to disperse us. Even some NIT officials beat us up with batons,” students said. “They threatened us of dire consequences like rustication and failure. They also snatched our identity cards.”
 They revealed the institute receives huge amount of funds every year but on ground nothing tangible has been done so far. “We want to ask the authorities where the funds go?” they questioned.  
 The NIT, according to the students, since its inception in August 2003 has been headless. “Without sufficient infrastructure and required faculties, the institute keeps on opening new departments,” they said. “Condition of bathrooms and toilets is pathetic and taps run dry after 8: 30 am daily.”
 “Six students share one small room in the hostel. Being one of the advanced institutions of Information Technology, the institute is without internet facility,” they said.
 “The disease prone, lower quality and tasteless mess food has made our lives miserable. The NIT authorities also don’t let the students participate in extra curricular activities. Besides the workshops and laboratories are in shambles,” they alleged.
 Students claimed that dogs are on prowl in the campus, including the buildings. “Even the classrooms aren’t any exception to the canine menace,” they added.
 Students threatened to continue the strike till their genuine demands are met. When contacted, Chief Warden of the NIT feigned ignorance about the issue. “I was on a holiday today,” he said and dropped the phone.
  However, students claimed that Warden was very much present in the College.
RenzuShah concerned
 Interestingly sources said the annoyed students called on Director Information Khawaja Farooq RenzuShah and told him that dogs are on prowl inside the NIT buildings.
 “If this is true then it’s something very unfortunate,” the official is understood to have responded.
 When contacted RenzuShah said, “I cannot exactly comment about some particular premises but yes the dog population is so big and deadly that something needs to be done at an earliest to contain the stray pack population,” Renzu told Greater Kashmir.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 10 Oct 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 10 Oct 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:00:00 IST