For Sandhya A., a Malayalam teacher at Bhavan’s Vidya Mandir, Girinagar, Sriram Venkitaraman is still the young boy who had endless questions on the topics she taught him in class.
Today, as the Devikulam Sub Collector who took on land grabbers at Munnar, her student continues to make her proud. The Malayalam teacher was sharing her thoughts on Mr. Venkitaraman at a meeting organised by the Bhavan’s Vidya Mandir, Girinagar, (BVMG) Alumni Association at Ente Bhoomi near Valanjambalam on Thursday, extending support to the young IAS officer.
“No words can describe my joy when I see the kind of support Sriram is garnering from people across the State and outside. I still remember him as the boy who used to come up with many questions on the portions I taught in the classroom. Be it poems or stories, Sriram was never satisfied with the explanations and used to approach me with questions on what the writer had intended through the work,” said Ms. Sandhya.
Harish Vasudevan, High Court lawyer and environmental activist, said political parties across barriers had teamed up against Mr. Venkitaraman after he found that pattayams could be given to beneficiaries as per rules prescribed.
“For the last 25 years, political parties had taken the people of Munnar for a ride by assuring them that they would get pattayams. Political parties realised that Sriram was the biggest threat after he gave a recommendation to the Idukki District Collector on giving pattayams as per rules and not to put them on hold for frivolous reasons,” he said.
K.P. Ouseph, former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, said a Sub Collector appointed by the government could not be attacked personally, as he was only carrying out his duties as per the provisions of the law. He added that encroachment of land by setting up religious symbols was unacceptable.
Vipin Das, lawyer and president of BVMG Alumni Association, presided.
