Nellore: Snakes and scorpions infest the new campus of the Vikrama Simhaprui University at Kakuturu in the city outskirts. More than the students, officials are afraid of the creatures since they will be blamed in case any student is bitten or stung on the premises. Compounding their problems, the firm executing the electrical works has stopped fixing streetlights halfway, allegedly because of the failure of the university in settling Rs 48 lakh dues at the instance of the Executive Council.

The stipulation for the firm, Engineering Projects India Ltd, a government of India enterprise, which also executed the building work, is that they carry out any work only after the university makes an advance payment. The firm went out of its way following a request made by the university, but stopped when payment was not made. It was learnt that EC had ordered withholding the payment following media reports on poor quality of construction.

Interestingly, the firm has not handed over the new campus, but the university moved in 10 days ago in view of human resource minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao’s instructions to shift offices immediately, during his recent visit to Nellore. “They have fixed streetlights on one side of the road leading to hostels partly and there is need for at least 50 more lights. We are worried over the safety of the students as many of them complained of sighting snakes and scorpions” Vice-Chancellor Prof. Veeraiah said.

Referring to labs, classrooms and faculty rooms of the 19 departments as well as examination wings occupying all the rooms in the new administrative block, he expressed concern over accommodation to introduce new degree courses in banking, commerce and fine arts from the forthcoming academic year. The V-C said they would not have had even direct road from the highway but for the initiative of district collector R. Muthyala Raju.