Tribal students from rural Coimbatore get exposed to industrial activities

This is the first time many of them were moving away from their localities.

Students and youth from tribal hamlets during an industrial visit to Lakshmi Machine Works Limited atPeriyanaickenpalayam in the city on Saturday. Photo: Special Arrangement

Fifty-five school students and graduates from tribal hamlets in rural Coimbatore were taken on a visit to an industry and police stations on Saturday. This was the first time many of them were moving away from their localities.

“The industry visit is an effort to give them exposure to the nearby vicinity and help them get motivated to come out of their hamlets, take up opportunities and improve their standard of living,” Superintendent of Police (SP) of Coimbatore District R.V. Ramya Bharathi said.

These visitors were from 17 tribal hamlets bordering Kerala under the jurisdiction of Pillur Dam and Thudiyalur Police Stations. The children and youth included 44 boys and 11 girls.

Ten of them were graduates and postgraduates. Eight others completed diploma and other technical courses. But all of them were unemployed as they preferred staying in their hamlets. Thirty-seven other children were school students from Standard 10 to 12. Their visit began with police vans picking them from their hamlets. After the two-hour industrial visit to Lakshmi Machine Works Limited, at Periyanaickenpalayam, they were taken to the respective police stations i.e., to the jurisdiction station having purview over their tribal hamlets. Police station visits were also different for them as they have usually seen police personnel frequenting their village to get information on Maoist movements. Students from Gundur, Gethaikadu, Surandi, Melkuravankandi, Kelkuravankandi, Sundapatti, Eluthukalpudur and Kudapatti visited Karamadai Police Station. Students from Anaikatti and surrounding areas such as Thuvaipathi, Arnathkadu, Kalkadu, Chinnajambukandi, Vadakalur, Kudalur, Kondanur, Kondanur Pudur and Dhoomanur hamlets were taken to the Thudiyalur Police Station.

They got a chance to observe the nature of work in the police stations and the roles and responsibilities of policemen and officers across ranks. Ms. Ramya Bharathi said that they were planning to organise similar visits for students from tribal hamlets bordering Kerala. Police sources said that the next visit would be to Valparai, Karunya Nagar and Vadakkipalayam police stations limits.