The students of Sao Chang College (SCC), Tuensang staged a silent protest demanding for proper transportation at Clock Tower junction in Tuensang town on Thursday. The protest was initiated by the Chang Students’ Union Sao Chang College (CSUSCC) and received a good response from students who bore the scorching sun for proper roads and functioning buses.

James Chang, President CSUSCC stated that every semester Rs 2000 is collected from each student for the bus service however it came to light that the buses break down almost all the time as they old and also owing to the bad road conditions.

“We need answers in deeds not in words”, he said while also mentioning that the union had earlier called on the legislators and the administration regarding the pertaining issues however there had been no positive outcome.

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The student leader regretted that Sao Chang (Govt) College, despite of being the only college in Tuensang district, was neglected and lacked the basic necessities such as good buses and proper classrooms which he said were destroying the lives of the students.

“We will not stop unless our demand is fulfilled and will not sit silently,” James asserted.

Former General Secretary, CSUSCC exclaimed that it is a matter of “death and life” stating that the bad road condition and shortages of buses were hampering the growth of the students as well as playing with their lives.

“Take back the old and rusted buses and give us new buses”, he demanded, stating that there had been many incidences where students have narrowly escaped fatal accidents.

He also mentioned that with regard to this issue, the college authorities suggested the students to stay in the college hostel but the hostel can accommodate only 100 seats and the total number of students is 668.

Aggrieved at the situation he questioned, “Why only us? Why only Sao Chang College? Why are we being neglected?” He proclaimed that the fight was not only for the students but for the whole community.

The present general secretary CSUSCC stated that the four buses “which are old and accident prone” were not enough to accommodate all the students and mentioned that the students hire vehicles to reach college on many occasions.

He also mentioned that the institution had students who come from the districts of Tuensang, Noklak and Shamator and the concerned authorities were not “serious” to look into their grievances.

He cautioned and said, “If we do not fight now, the future will also have the same problem.”

The students of SCC submitted a representation to the Vice-Principal (Principal in-charge), Sao Chang (Govt) College, Tuensang demanding for regular and sufficient bus service for the students. The letter stated that the students have been facing hurdles to attend regular classes and even for the ongoing internal exams, given the pathetic condition of the college bus, which tends to break down frequently.

The students have been paying the bus maintenance fee during admission and have been raising the issue for a long time yet the college authority paid no heed, the letter mentioned. The students also stated that they had no other option but to protest indefinitely until “regular and sufficient bus services are provided”.

Meanwhile, the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee, Grievances Cell, in a statement demanded the immediate intervention of the concerned department on the matter. The cell stated that from its interaction with students of Sao Chang College, it learned that the 7 km stretch from main Tuensang Town to the college was in sorriest condition.

It also said that there were four “outdated” buses available to the college, of which three were partially functioning. Students are missing their classes due to the transportation issues, it added. Further, NPCC said that the brakes of the buses had failed on several occasions, the most recent one being 30th August 2023.

The grievance cell also highlighted that Sao Chang College had been functioning without a principal for around five years. One was deputed as principal on September 2022 but was released again on May 2023, it said.

The NPCC cell therefore implored the concern authority to resolve the issues that concern the lives and the bright future of the students.