A class 10 student of a residential school in Mudigere taluk has drawn Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attention to the lack of basic amenities in her native village, Alekhan Horatti, in the taluk.
The Prime Minister’s Office has responded to the letter by Namana G., student of Morarji Desai Residential School at Bidarahalli, and instructed the Chikkamagaluru Zilla Panchayat to take necessary measures.
Namana’s father Gopala Gowda, a farmer, and mother Pavithra, an accredited social health activist, stay in Alekhan Horatti, a village of 34 houses. “There is no bus facility to our village. We have to walk through forest for about 5 km to reach our home from the nearest bus stop. There is no proper electricity either. The only primary school in the village has been closed due to lack of admissions. Almost all families send their children to residential schools,” Namana told The Hindu on Sunday.
Namana and her younger brother, Nandan, have been studying in the residential schools since class 1. She studied up to class 6 in Shivamogga and joined the Morarji school in Bidarahalli for class 7. “We cannot even call home when we want to talk to our parents. My parents have to carry their cellphone to an elevated place in search of network,” she said.
The idea of writing to the Prime Minister occurred to her in October 2016 after she heard about Mr. Modi’s response to letters by schoolchildren. “I thought of writing to the PM and discussed the same with my teacher Pradeep Mahale. He supported my idea. I wrote a letter in Kannada and he translated it into English. I then sent it to the PMO by post,” she said.
The Chikkamagaluru ZP has now written to officers of the Education, Forest, and Health Departments, and BSNL and MESCOM for further action. A copy of the same was sent to Namana on Saturday. “I am glad that the Prime Minister has responded to my letter. I wish basic amenities are provided to my village,” she said.
