Residents of Tirpattur have demanded that an old block of the Government Adi Dravidar Primary School, which is in a dilapidated condition and in disuse, be demolished to prevent any untoward incident.
The old block which was constructed and declared open way back in 1966, had five classrooms. In 2005, due to rain the ceiling of the building caved in.
In 2009 at an estimate of Rs. 5.80 lakh, a smaller classroom block was constructed nearby area with a plinth area of 1,624 square feet.
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Although the school functions in the new block, students have to reach the classrooms crossing the old building. “Teachers have been preventing the students from going near the damaged block,” says P. Velayutham, one of the residents.
According to official sources, the school has a vast campus of three acres, including one acre allotted for playground. The campus also has an open well and villagers have also submitted petitions to the authorities to close the well apart from demolishing the old building.
The absence of compound wall has turned the school campus into a dumping yard for garbage. The problem worsens during vacations. “It is high time that the available land in the school is optimally utilised,” says U. Sridharan, another resident of Tirupattur.
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Officials of the Adi Dravidar Welfare Department said that it has been planned to construct a girls’ hostel on the available land. They also assured to initiate steps to demolish the old building after an inspection. Steps were being taken for constructing a compound wall through the Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing and Development Corporation (THADCO), the officials said.