The Opposition parties which were vehemently opposing the construction of recreational park on the old government high school premises in Karimnagar town, have decided to intensify their agitation demanding the government construct educational institutions only, on the premises.
Earlier, the Opposition parties and students’ unions had called for bandh at educational institutions on Monday opposing the conversion of educational institutions premises into recreational park.
Currently, the Congress, BJP, CPI, CPM, YSRCP, TJS, BSP and students’ organisations have decided to visit the old government high school premises and inspect the destruction of ancient structures on June 22 and stage dharna in front of the Collectorate on June 26.
The Opposition parties found fault with the government for the conversion of the historic old government high school constructed by the Nizams in 1934 into recreational park. The sprawling old high school, which is also the first school in the Karimnagar district, houses government junior college for arts, government Urdu medium school and DCEB office.
The old high school, which is also called as multi-purpose school, has produced several eminent personalities such as Gnanpeeth awardee C. Narayana Reddy, senior Congress leader M. Satyanarayana, freedom fighter Boinpally Venkata Rama rao, Padmabushan Ch Hanumanth Rao, former minister Chalmeda Ananda Rao, Jagtial legislator T. Jeevan Reddy, academician Velichala Kondal Rao, IAS officers J. Bapu Reddy and Muddasani Purushotham Reddy etc.
During the platinum jubilee celebrations of the school in 2013, the alumni helped in the increasing enrolment of students into the school, which has crossed 503 presently. The alumni also took measures for the beautification of heritage structure.
Officials have clarified that they were not dismantling the heritage structure of government old high school, but removing the government junior college, Urdu medium school and DCEB office for development of recreational park on the lines of Lumbini Park.
They said that the existing old government school and the Urdu medium schools would be relocated to new premises for which they had allocated ₹1.3 crore each for the construction of two new buildings, which has already begun.
They said that junior college was shifted to the RIO office in Padmanagar industrial area.
