Call for permanent solution to NDT, Engineering Faculty students conflict

Sandasen Marasinghe

The Moratuwa University Engineering Faculty Student's Union is of the opinion that there should be a permanent solution without delay to the conflict between NDT and Engineering Faculty students as it hinders knowledgeable engineers and technicians from joining the industry.

The Engineering Faculty of the Moratuwa University and the NDT have been closed since January 16 following a students' clash that resulted in an Engineering Faculty student been admitted to the ICU.

Committee members of the Moratuwa University Engineering Faculty Student's Union told the Daily News that the NDT should be relocated as recommended by the D.S. Wijesekara Committee which was appointed to study the reasons for the conflict between the two parties.

The Student's Union further told the Daily News that the issue arose following an incident when around 300 NDT students are alleged to have rushed in to the A-hostel in the University premises on January 16 night and assaulted around 50 to 60 final year Engineering Faculty students, who were reading for their final examination.

The Committee members allege that the conflict has been going on since 1994 due to several demands made by the NDT students.

They said the D.S. Wijesekara Committee which was appointed to study the reasons for the conflict between the two parties made three recommendations, including that the NDT should be relocated to bring this conflict to an end.

The committee members of the Engineering Faculty Students' Union stated that the NDT is a three year course inclusive of a year's training to which the students are selected by a separate examination whereas the Engineering Faculty comes under the university.

They added that the two are not in any way equal and the two courses cannot be equally recognized.

The Committee members too stated that the best solution is to relocate the NDT as its union is acting with a particular political agenda.