Balanga, 20th Oct 2025: During British rule, primary education was mostly limited to “chatasalis” and primary schools up to Class 3. With the efforts of freedom fighters Gopinath Das, Gangadhar Das, Arjun Panda, Gangadhar Acharya, and Jambeswar Mahapatra, an Upper Primary School (classes 4 to 7) was established in Balanga in the year 1930. Children from nearby areas like Nimapada, Satyabadi, and Pipili used to study here. There was even a hostel facility like a “Gurukul” for overnight stays.
In 2018, following a government directive to consolidate all educational institutions within a 100-meter radius, the Government Upper Primary School, the Girls’ High School, and the Boys’ High School were merged to form the Balanga Nodal School.
After this merger, the Upper Primary School was shifted to the high school campus, leaving behind 10 classrooms which now lie abandoned. There are allegations that asbestos sheets, wooden materials, and even bricks from the walls have been stolen. Due to a lack of use and maintenance, the buildings are slowly collapsing.
As the boundary walls and main gate have also broken down, the premises have become a shelter for antisocial elements. It has also turned into a habitat for venomous snakes and other reptiles. A solidly constructed Regional Resource Center building on the premises now lies locked and unused, while work has been shifted elsewhere.
As the facility heads toward total destruction and remains completely closed, deep dissatisfaction is growing among the local people. The lack of maintenance is distressing the educated and aware section of society. Situated near the old Balanga–Nimapada road, the partially destroyed school buildings now stand as relics of the past.
Kripasindhu Dutta, Bishnuprasad Sahu, Deepak Kumar Pradhan, Prabodh Kumar Pradhan, and Ramchandra Behera have demanded that the Deputy Chief Minister and the District Collector immediately pay attention to this issue.
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