Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, July 21: Though declared as a heritage college in 2004 by the then Education Minister, Harshdev Singh, the State Government has failed to develop GGM Science College as a heritage institute and give a facelift to it as required to restore its pristine glory.
According to sources, the State Government in the year 2004 declared the GGM Science College, Jammu one of the oldest colleges of the State along with SP College Srinagar in Kashmir Valley as heritage colleges but no headway was made in this regard and no steps were taken by the successive State Governments to develop the two colleges as heritage colleges of the State.
Established in year 1905 during the visit of Prince and Princes of Wales to Jammu, the GGM Science College is in shambles at present as Government is not taking adequate steps for preserving this heritage institute for posterity, sources said. After their declaration as heritage college the University Grants Commission (UGC) had agreed to pay Rs one crore each for the development of two colleges as heritage institutes but the State Government failed to seek this amount from the UGC and no initiative was taken by it to develop the two institutions which were the legacy of Dogra rulers in the State and a reflection of art and culture of that period, sources added.
The position of College is so bad at present that its front Balcony facing Principal’s Office has developed cracks and it is at the verge of collapse if immediate steps are not taken for its restoration. But the Government is not sanctioning Rs 12 to 13 lakh for its renovation not to speak of taking drastic steps for the development of entire college as heritage institute, sources said.
The foundation stone of the College was laid by then Maharaja of the State Maharaja Partap Singh in 1910 and the then Headmaster of Ranbir High School, Prof M M Davina was appointed as first Principal of the College in 1907 and the GGM Science College emerged one of the prestigious educational institutions of the State.
Sources said even the repeated assurances by the top authorities in the State to restore the college building to its glory have failed. The College houses an old museum, has a library of 1860 old books and old albums dating back the visit of Prince and Princes of Wales which need to be preserved for posterity but no headway has been made in this regard.
Sources said the College management has taken on its own many steps in this regard but the desired results can’t be achieved without the cooperation and support of the Government.
The PG Department of Geology which is an old Department of the College was established by then Prof and Principal of the College Dr D N Wadia in late twenties. It has a Geological Museum which houses antiques including a 11 feet 3 inch Elephant Ganesha tusk which was found in Jagti area of Jammu. Besides the museum houses some rock stones, lead pieces, floating stones (pumice stones of volcanic ash), shark teeth, other things of sea life, fragamented pieces of stegodon Ganesha, asbestos, model of Java man and pieces of meteor etc are preserved there.
A postal ticket has also been established in 1951 on Elephant Ganesha by the Government of India. The chair of Dr Wadia the founder of Geological Department has also been preserved in the Geological Department. Besides the projectors with which he used to work, picture stands, binocular, telescope of copper etc are also preserved in the Department.
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