Researchers in shock

The fire at the organic chemistry laboratory has left the researchers aghast.

The fire at the organic chemistry laboratory has left the researchers aghast. Not only has the fire charred the equipment,it has also destroyed the entire database created over the years both ongoing research and archives stored in the computers.

The loss has hit them hard. Most researchers are in their fourth and final year. The grant by UGC and other agencies is for five years and the fire has practically made it impossible to complete their research on time. All my work of last four years is gone, sobbed research scholar Rumpa Das. The laboratory stored the data. The loss is incalculable for Kokhon Satra,Prasanta Patra, and Moumita Raskshit too.

Gandhi Kumar Kar,Professor of Organic Chemistry Department is in shock. Six students were working in the area of synthetic organic chemistry and they were using the laboratory for their tests. All their data was stored in the computers. We had set up this laboratory over the last seven or eight years, he said. Most of the work of students was complete and they were in process of writing the thesis,now all that has been gutted.”

Dipak Mondal,the Head of the Chemistry Department,said altogether,20 researchers were using the lab. All of their work was stored here and the the extent of damage is yet to be ascertained, he said. The representatives of the Students Federation of India have submitted a deputation to the principal,asking him to intervene with the state higher education minister and see that the students be treated with sympathy.

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