Residents of Ambattur are on an indefinite fast demanding that a piece of grama natham land be used for the construction of a higher secondary school. The land is next to the Corporation middle school in Kamarajapuram.
The Dr. Ambedkar Podhu Nala Mandram, which is spearheading the protests, says information obtained through Right To Information Act petitions from the Revenue Department indicated that it was grama natham land and had not been set aside for anyone or any department.
However, the land was fenced off a few months ago and work began on a building to house the office of a joint commissioner of police.
Residents have so far conducted four protests demanding the upgradation of the school but in vain, said K. Bharathi, an advocate and one of the five residents taking part in the fast.
Struggle for students
A dilapidated police quarters building stood on the land some 15 years ago but it was pulled down.
“This is the only claim the police has to the land. Our children have to travel 5km and cross a railway gate to reach the nearest higher secondary school, which is an aided one. There is no government higher secondary school for boys in Ambattur. Many students drop out since they have to travel far or cannot afford private schools,” said Jeeva Pugazhvendhan of Varadharajapuram.
