To explain about various scholarships available for minority students, A. Mohammed Aslam, Commissioner of Minorities Welfare and Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Minorities Economic Development Corporation (TAMCO) conducted a meeting of headmasters of all schools and principals of all colleges in Tiruchengode recently.
However, many of the participants were not headmasters as only junior teachers participated. It is learnt that headmasters have forced the junior teachers to attend the meeting on behalf of them. The teachers who teach their students not to give ‘proxy’, themselves have given proxy for the meeting.
The issue of resuming flight operations from the now defunct Salem airport dominated the proceedings at the road show in connection with the “Global Investors Meet” organised by the CII Salem in the city recently.
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Both the Ministers Edappadi K. Palanisamy and P. Thangamani, who participated in the meeting and other speakers stressed the importance of re-opening the airport, which is lying idle for a long.
S. N. Eishehower, Chairman, CII Tamil Nadu, who set the ball rolling, said that resumption of flight services from Salem airport is a must for further development of Salem and neighbouring districts in the industrial front. Dhirajlal, former Chairman, CII Salem, said in the absence of air-connectivity, the entrepreneurs have to travel to Chennai to catch flights to North Indian cities. S. Soundappan, Mayor, and the CII members who participated in the interaction session at the end too pleaded for immediate steps for the resumption of flight services.
Mr. Edappadi K. Palanisamy, said that it was poor patronage for the flight which led to the suspension of the services from Salem airport. He promised to take steps for the resumption of the flight services. Mr. Thangamani said that the location of Salem is one of the reasons for the poor traffic for flights.
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While trade unions and political parties celebrated the May Day by taking out rallies and hoisting flags across Salem district, the Makkal Mandram, a Sankagiri-based service organisation, utilised the opportunity to honour 17 conservancy workers with garlands and khadi shawls.
It was a gesture to thank the conservancy workers who keep the town neat and tidy, said N. S. Kuzhandaivel, secretary of the Makkal Mandram.K. A. Govindasamy, president, Tamil Nadu Tapioca Farmers Association, created a flutter at the farmers’ grievances day meeting held at the collectotrate recently when he requested the participants to raise their hands if they supported his demand for waiving the entire farm loans. A majority of the farmers raised their hands in support of his plea.
Taken aback, the District Collector K. Maharabushanam was quick to react and he informed Mr. Govindasamy and the participants that this was not a house of elected representatives to seek support by raising hands.
He said that the government was aware of the problems confronting the farmers and had provided drought relief in the year 2013.
The Collector assured to forward their demand to the government if they presented a petition. And this put an end to the issue.
The going appears to be tough for several engineering college teachers in the region. For, the managements have set targets for the teachers to bring in students for enrolment under management quota to retain their jobs.
Only some are lucky enough to identify students from amongst the circle of their relatives and friends. Many others do not possess the skills to market their institutions and therefore face the ignominy of losing their jobs.
That, perhaps, explains why a good number of teachers with experience in engineering colleges are seeking opportunities in schools. And, to their surprise, they find the pay and working conditions to be far better than in engineering colleges.
(Reporting by
S.P. Saravanan and
Syed Muthahar Saqaf in Salem)