‘Insufficient food’ forces school students in Odisha walk 25km to convey grievances to Collector

At least 14 students from Badaraisingi Ashram Residential School in Rayagada district walked nearly 25 kilometers on Saturday and reached the Collector’s office to lodge a complaint against their Headmaster. 

As per reports, the students scaled the boundary wall of their hostel at around 3 am in the morning and walked for 25km to reach the district headquarters. 

They had complaints about their headmaster who allegedly neglects in the food served to the hostel boarders. The students also alleged that the Headmaster also abuses them.

“We are not getting sufficient food at the hostel. They are giving us eggs on the days when chicken should be prepared,” said a student.

Another student said, “We jumped the boundary wall at 3:30am in the morning and walked to the Collector’s office to complain about our Headmaster. 

However, they could not meet the Collector as it was a holiday on Saturday and the Collector was not present in office. Failing to find the Collector, the students moved to the circuit house where they met SC & ST Development Minister Jagannath Saraka. 

“Children leaving hostel and walking so far is not right. I asked him about their problems. They told me about the language problem they are facing in the school. The Headmaster is not teaching them properly. They also told me about their food issues and alleged they are not getting enough food.”

“I will enquire the matter and take steps if somebody found erring in this matter,” Saraka added. 

While the Headmaster could not be contacted for comments, Rayagada Additional District Welfare Officer (ADWO) Malay Ranjan Chinra said, “We received the news of children walking up to here. We will conduct an probe on how they managed to leave the hostel and walked so long and why did the gate keeper allowed them to go and what was the hostel Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent doing. We will take action if we found anybody neglecting their duties.”