HARIPUR, May 23: With the intermediate academic year two months away, the fate of the new degree college for girls here hangs in the balance as the district government is yet to make arrangements in this regard.

However, sources at the district government secretariat held the provincial education department responsible for the delay in notifying the proposed institution.

Owing to shortage of seats in the lone girls’ degree college in Haripur and in view of longstanding demand of the people, the provincial government had three months back approved the second degree college for women.

Though the education department was yet to notify the institution, the district government promised to start classes in the coming academic session commencing in August.

To establish the institution a number of locations were proposed by the elected representatives, including the old building of Haripur Elementary College and MC shops near Kund area. The two sites, being in the heart of the city, were suitable for the college.

However, the proposals were opposed by some quarters and the district Nazim did not pursue the matter with vigour.

It was also reported that some quarters were inducing the district and Tehsil Nazims for shifting of the site to their constituencies.

“The new girls’ college is meant for the people of Haripur and we would never allow anyone to shift the site to their area at any cost” said a citizen, Fareed, when his comments were sought on the issue.

Another citizen, Suhail Khan, whose sister was deprived of admission due to shortage of seats in the lone college in Haripur and later admitted in Swabi college for girls, also criticized the move and demanded commencement of the proposed college without any delay.

He said that if the government faced any space problem it must start the classes in the old building of the elementary collage or in the MC shops.

Last year, 1,500 applicants were deprived of admission due to shortage of seats at the Haripur Girls’ Degree College. For 1st year science there were 300 seats, 120 seats were for the arts group and for 3rd year there were only 300 seats for both the faculties.