Jyoti Vihar college lecturers threaten mass hunger strike

SAMBALPUR: Lecturers of Jyoti Vihar junior college, under Sambalpur University, who have been agitating since August 18 demanding regularization of their service, have decided to go on a hunger strike from September 8 if the university does not give in to their demands.
While submitting a notice to the vice-chancellor on Saturday, they have given the ultimatum that their problems should be solved before September 7.
Senior lecturer Sarat Kumar Sarangi said although he had been working for more than 25 years since the inception of the college in 1988, the university authorities had failed to give them job security.
He said that the higher education department had already cleared grant-in-aid for the college since it runs under the university. "But the university has kept the matter pending for a long time," Sarangi said.
He said they would continue their current agitation till September 7, and then go for fast-onto-death from September 8. "We submitted the notice to the VC today and asked him to take steps to provide justice to us," Sarangi added.
The normal functioning of the college has been disrupted since last Monday following the agitation of the lecturers and non-teaching staff. The guardians have expressed concern over the disruption of studies at the college. The college has both arts and science subjects.
When contacted, vice-chancellor of Sambalpur University B C Barik said he was worried about the future of the students of the college and had decided to call a managing committee meeting on Monday to take steps in this regard. "I have also intimated the governor's office and government about the decision of the lecturers," Barik said.