SHUBHANGI SHIFA
Ranchi, June 15: Students of several colleges and universities in the city, including Marwadi College, Ranchi University and Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University have been facing serious issues because of the unavailability of canteens on their campuses.
The list of colleges without canteens includes Marwari Boys College, Marwadi Girls College, Ranchi College, Ranchi University, Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University, meanwhile some colleges like Doranda College and Gossner College have canteens that may not be considered so.
As a result, many times, students of DSPMU, RU and other colleges are forced to skip their meals, while inside the varsity campus due to the absence of a functional canteen.
Priya Mahto, a student at Marwari Girls College, who hails from a humble background said, “It is not feasible to eat outside every day, especially when the food is not very healthy and also costs too much for a student.”
When questioned if a college canteen would solve her issue, Mahto said, “I would get proper meals at affordable prices, what more can a student coming from a middle-class background want.”
A student Abhishek Singh of the post-graduate course at RU said, “I usually have to go to Kanke, if I want to have a decent meal, else I’m forced to fend for myself at the carts around the college. These carts serve food that is either not appetising or is unhealthy.”
Another student Sushil Kumar in RU said, “I would usually go to the Morabadi settlement of vendors if I was hungry, but now after they were removed from here, it has become increasingly difficult for us to sustain ourselves during classes.”
Meanwhile, when questioned, RU officials said, “The canteen that was run next to the Commerce department was shut earlier. However, the university management plans to open at least four canteens on the university campus. We have also selected the places where the canteens will be set up.”
“One canteen will be set up inside the RU campus at Shaheed Chowk, the second canteen will be situated in the building near the multi-purpose hall, the third one will be in the Science block, while the fourth in the ILS building,” the officials further added.
Meanwhile, DSPMU PRO Rajesh Singh said, “We already have a building constructed on the campus for a canteen, where a set up will soon be placed. We have already given out the tender at the price of Rs 1.40 lakhs.”
A faculty at Doranda College has said, “We earlier did have a working canteen. Now with the new buildings being constructed, space for the canteen has been alloted to the canteen. It will soon be functional.”
