SWABI: A year after its opening Gajju Khan Medical College (GKMC), Swabi, is still without its own building. Officials of the district administration and college have so far inspected several sites, but could not pick one for the purpose, sources said.

GKMC had started functioning in a makeshift building last year when 85 students, including 33 girls, were inducted in the first batch.

There is no hostel for girl students and on emergency basis the district health office located adjacent to the college building was vacated for the purpose on the directives of health minister Shahram Tarakai.

The sources said that the government wanted to induct 100 students in the first batch, but only 85 were allowed keeping in view the available facilities.

Minister says site for the college to be selected soon

They said that a few months ago Swabi deputy commissioner had imposed Section 4 and decided to acquire about 1,165 kanals at Shahmansoor village mountainous area for the college. However, when the officials of the college and district administration visited the site they rejected it due to security reasons, said the sources.

They said that 100 kanals adjacent to the college had also been inspected, but a decision was not made because the area was too small for the medical college. They said that a site of about 400 kanals in Shahmansoor arid region had also been visited recently by the officials, but a decision was yet to be made.

When contacted, a relevant official said that search for a suitable site was still on, adding that the college officials wanted a site which was easily approachable and had enough space for the college and related facilities.

Sources said that there was no hostel facility for the coming batch and the college management might only accommodate 50 students in the second batch.

When contacted, Shahram Tarakai said that the provincial government would make all-out efforts to provide the faculty and upcoming batch of students with all the required facilities. He said that land for the college would be acquired soon so that construction of the building could be started.

However, he said that if the college management could accommodate only 50 students they should induct the same number of students because the government wanted quality, not quantity.

Meanwhile, Musakhel area of Topi tehsil experienced 13-hour power suspension on Tuesday. Consumers said that the electricity supply was stopped soon after rain started at night and it was restored at 12 noon on Tuesday.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2017