Nagaland: Sao Chang Government College students protest poor bus service, bad road

DIMAPUR — Sao Chang Government College (SCC) students on Thursday staged a silent protest at Clock Tower junction in Tuensang town, demanding proper transportation service and a good road.

Many students braved the scorching sun and participated the agitation initiated by the Chang Students’ Union Sao Chang College (CSUSCC), said an update received here on August 31.

President of CSUSCC, James Chang claimed that ‘students had contributed INR 2000 each for transportation service but the bus frequently breaks down due to old age and poor road condition’.

Maintaining that they had previously approached the legislators and the administration regarding the issues, but to no avail, he told the students to press for action and not just words from the authorities.

Lack of good buses, road and classrooms is destroying the lives of the students, he said, adding that “they would not stop protesting until their demands were met”.

Former General Secretary of SCC said that poor road and shortage of buses were a matter of “death and life”, hampering the growth of students. He urged the state government to “replace the old and rusted buses with new ones”, adding that due to the bad condition of the vehicles, “there had been several instances of narrowly escaping fatal accidents”.

The college authorities had suggested the students to stay in the college hostel, but it could only accommodate 100 students out of the total of 668, he added.

The incumbent General Secretary of SCC went on to claim that students had to hire vehicles to reach the college on several occasions, as “four old and accident-prone buses” couldn’t accommodate all them.

While pointing out that the SCC is the only college for students from the districts of Tuensang, Noklak, and Shamator, he said the concerned authorities were not taking their grievances seriously.

The update informed that the protesting students had submitted an application to the vice-principal (principal in-charge) of the college, demanding regular and sufficient bus service for the students, while highlighting that the plight of students in attending regular classes and the ongoing internal exams.

Despite paying the bus maintenance fee during the admission and raising the issue, the college authority has not paid heed, leaving the students with no option but to protest indefinitely until regular and sufficient bus services were provided to them, it said.

Also read: Students in Tuensang face admission crisis; admission process in 2 government schools halted