The government district library in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, has undergone a transformation. After improvements in the facilities, the library has become a place where students can read books comfortably. The seating arrangements have been improved. Along with major renovations air conditioners and fans have been installed.
Local residents had been complaining about the lack of proper facilities for quite some time, but the issues were not resolved. In February of this year, Dr. Janice Darbari, the Montenegro Ambassador to India, visited the library and emphasized the need for administrative improvements.
Junior Assistant Devvrat Rai from the district library mentioned that various officials, including DM Ravi Kumar, CDO Praveen Varma, District Development Officer Ramesh, and Dr. Janice Darbari, made significant efforts to change the state of the library. Rai said, “After I was assigned the charge, Dr. Janice Darbari came here for the first time this year and was disappointed by the disorder she saw. She stated that she couldn’t provide books in such a state. The library had a lot of garbage and the walls were deteriorating. There was no sense of decoration. However, the situation has now changed.”
Now, not only are boys and girls coming to read books at the library, but they are also studying for long hours. New seats have been added, and the walls have been painted. Daily cleaning of the reading room is also carried out.
About Dr. Janice Darbari
Dr. Janice Darbari, the Ambassador of Montenegro to India, has a special connection to Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh. She says, “We have a deep connection with Ballia. Ballia was the district that declared itself independent before India’s independence. While India became independent on August 15, 1947, the people of Ballia had declared themselves free on August 20, 1942, five years earlier. At that time, the then British Collector J.E. Nigam officially handed over administration to freedom fighter Chittu Pandey.” It should be noted that Dr. Janice Darbari is the granddaughter of J.E. Nigam.
