Gusto of festivals gone from CET campus

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A year after Thasni Basheer, a civil engineering student at College of Engineering Trivandrum, was killed in an accident inside the college campus, the institute earlier known for its extra circular activities has confined its activities to academic activities.
The 20-year-student was killed after she was hit by a jeep inside the campus premises during the Onam celebrations on August 19 in 2015.Since then, no inter-college festival has been organized at the institute including the well-known cultural and technical festival of the college, Dhwani and Drishti respectively, which witnesses the participation of colleges from across the state. Adhering to the regulations put forward by higher education department, the institute has restricted its activities to inter-department programmes.
Since the accident, only Sargam, an inter-departmental competitions for the selection of students for participation in the youth festival was held at the institute in March.
While, the fourth year students expressed their hope to participate in another edition of Dhwani before they pass out from the college, the second year students wished to attend the much hyped festival, which had not been organised after they joined the college.
“We really feel safe with the security measures implemented in the college, but the campus is dry without the festivals which CET is well known for. The lack of any cultural programme has restricted our extra-curricular activities. We are ready to celebrate a festival adhering to the rules and regulations that is required for our own safety,” said a fourth year student from electrical department.
After the accident, ex-servicemen were appointed as security officers, vehicle entry have been restricted and CCTV surveillance. The campus has bought additional 15 CCTV cameras last month which are being installed at various location in the campus.
A meeting of representatives from various arts and cultural clubs functioning in the institute was convened on Thursday and it was directed by the principal in-charge Vrinda V Nair to prepare an action plan for this academic year till March 31, 2017.
“The activities and the whole campus adheres to the regulation issued by the higher education department. After implementation of the regulation, there was never a need to take disciplinary action against any student. The students also welcomed the regulations, but have expressed their wish to conduct cultural festivals again. We hope to conduct programmes following the rules from next month,” said principal in-charge Vrinda V Nair.