Ramanathapuram
Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV), the Central government school, which was established in Rameswaram in 2002 at the initiative of former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is crying for own building though the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) has made available 8.5 acres of land in the island.
Soon after assuming office as President of the country, Mr. Kalam took the initiative for setting up the school in the island, mainly to cater to the children of local civilian population with Collector as Chairman of the school.
The school made a humble beginning at the Ramani Sastrigal Marriage hall and when the strength of the students increased, it moved to the ‘Yatrika Nivas’ - the dormitory of Rameswaram Municipality and remained in the building for nearly 15 years now.
The school authorities and local people had made several representations to the Central Ministers when they visited the island for offering worship at the Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple, requesting the Centre to sanction funds for permanent school building but of no avail.
Based on the approval given by the Board of Governor, the KVS had purchased 8.5 acres of land in the island but could not get funds for the building construction. The Centre contended that it could sanction funds only if the State government allotted the lands, sources said. Presently, the school has strength of 393 students from class I to X and the students jostled in small rooms in the ‘Yatrika Nivas’.
Promising to secure funds, BJP district president K. Muraleedharan had taken up the issue with former Human Resources Development (HRD) Ministers Prakash Javadekar and Smriti Irani but failed in his attempts.
Official sources said the file was pending with HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal and funds would be released after he signed the files.
The school also caters to the wards of those employed in Naval Detachment Unit, Customs and Intelligence Bureau. The KV at Mandapam mainly catered to the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) and Mandapam Station of Indian Coast Guard (ICG), official said.
