Kochi: The department of painting of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit (SSUS), Kalady, one of the worst-hit buildings on the varsity campus in the recent deluge, still remains unattended by the authorities. The classes of all other departments started on September 3, but Bachelor/Master of Fine Arts (BFA/MFA) classes remain unofficially suspended as the building is yet to be restored.
“The classes in all other departments have already commenced, but our department building is not fit for conducting classes, and it needs to be fixed. The risk of electrocution from the wet walls is quite high and the roof and flooring are also badly damaged. We had requested the interactive centre on the campus to conduct the classes in the meantime, but the authorities didn’t agree,” said a postgraduate student.
Meanwhile, the university officials told DC that maintenance works were yet to commence to restore the building.
“We need at least one week to do the maintenance as there is damage on the walls as well as electric circuits and it should also be restored. We have given the auditorium (Kanakadhara) to the students as an alternative arrangement but they were not willing to take that,” said Dr. T.P. Raveendran, registrar, SSUS.
But according to the students, the auditorium is too small to accommodate all the students of the department. “We have our work materials like canvases, paints and other items and it would be congested if we stay there with all those things. Moreover, we need studios to practise. The auditorium is not at all a good option. That’s why we sought the interactive centre,” the student said.
On this, Mr. Raveendran said, “the interactive centre is a high security zone. It’s a data centre and contains security servers connected to the campus. It’s fully furnished for other official purposes, so we have restrictions to simply give it to them for their use.” However, he said that classes will be commenced within two weeks when the restoration works were completed.
“The damage report will be sent to the government for consideration. We will also help the students to restore their damaged materials in all ways we can,” he said. Work on the second phase of the fine arts block had already started on the campus, but was facing delay, he said.
