Members of the Campus Front of India were at the Coimbatore Collectorate on Monday protesting against what they alleged was loot by education institutions.
According to sources, around 30 members shouted slogans urging the State Government to implement in full the provisions of the Right To Education Act and punish those institutions that failed to do so.
Their demands included free education for all, government take over of those private educational institutions that did not implement the provisions of the RTE Act, increase the allocation for education institutions to 10 per cent of total plan expenditure in the Union Budget and shut down those education institutions that were run with a commercial motive and improve basic infrastructure in all institutions.
The sources said that the police later removed the protesters from the Collectorate.
Roadside vending
Roadside vendors under the AITUC banner have urged the district administration to provide an alternative site for them to run business as the site suggested by the Coimbatore Corporation was unacceptable to them.
In their interest and that of the public, the district administration would do well to fix any of the following places: off Cross Cut Road, near power house, the traffic signal — prison compound stretch of Nanjappa Road, the road off Avinashi Road and near the VOC Park and the place where the Omni Bus Stand was, as it was likely to be shifted.
Road widening
R.M. Selvaraj, a social activist, has urged the Coimbatore Collector to initiate steps to have the Coimbatore-Pollachi Road widened.
In his petition at the weekly grievance meeting, he had said that the road was an important exit route for those proceeding to Udumalpet, Oddanchathiram, Palani, Dindigul, Theni, Madurai and other southern districts.
The inadequate road width resulted in frequent accidents and also loss of lives.
In the interest of the safety of the road users, the administration should take steps to have the road widened.
The district administration should take steps for the construction of a bridge at the railway crossing in Mullupadi, he said.
He submitted the petition with the signature of over 50 people.
