Dilapidated building stains Imphal Art college
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 05 2011:
Inspite of being the oldest institution of its kind in the entire north East region, students of Imphal Art College are nurturing their visions and converting them into visual form under leaking roofs and an even murkier environment.
While students can literally breathe a sign of relief when friendly weather conditions prevail, the situation gets drastically reversed during monsoon as leakages of classrooms have been a chronic problem for the past many years.
It is informed that apart from minor repairing, the main building of the Imphal Art College had been the same since its establishment in 1949 near the British War Cemetery along the Imphal-Dimapur road, with an official source disclosing that there is not a hint of change in the structure despite additional allocation of Rs 1 crore for completing a new building.
With the College authorities highlighting woeful condition of the institute to the Government, an initial amount of Rs 1 crore was provided under the Special Plan Assistance in 2007 through which construction works for a new building commenced.
As the said fund provision was inadequate to complete the new building another sum of Rs 1 crore was sanctioned with the Planning and Development Authority (PDA) as the implementing agency.
On completion of the new structure, the College could boast of having a library room, conference hall, staff rooms, administration block, classrooms as well as an exhibition hall under a single roof, said the source who rued that such an opportunity is being denied to the students for a prolonged period.
The source also maintained that inspite of Imphal Art College being the first in the region, similar institutions set-up later in subsequent years at Silchar and Guwahati are far superior both in building structure and infrastructure as these colleges have the continuous patronage of the Assam State government.
While Imphal Art college students have already showcased their talents through their association with animation film production in the State, morale of the students are said to be at the nadir due to crumbling and creaky conditions they have to endure everyday.
On the brighter side, about 10 degree/diploma students of the College were part of unit that churned out Manipuri animation films 'Lanmei Thanbi' and 'Ita thaomei' .
It is also informed that some students from Nagaland State honed their skills at Imphal Art College before taking up teaching job in their own State.
From its affiliation to the Manipur University, the college is said to have received recognition of the University Grants Commission in the 2003-04 session thereby becoming an educational institution entitled to a five-yearly fund provision of Rs 20 lakh for infrastructure development.
Including 25 first year students, the total strength of Imphal Art College at present is said to be about 100 who are pursuing various related courses.
Asserting that students pursuing their respective trades such as painting, sculpture, graphic art etc at the institution could be guaranteed a secured future, the source said job avenues are plentiful for these students in the departments of Statistics, Doordarshan, Planning Department as well as private and Government educational institutions.
Moreover, their skills are being utilised in textile-related trades/industries, the source informed and drew urgent attention of the State Government to ensure such a productive institution is not left in the lurch.
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