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School run by ‘Narikoravar’Graduates: Pathetic condition without basic amenities- 16-Aug-2008

The students are studying in a pathetic condition in the special boarding school at Koliyanoor Narikoravar Colony, since the Government has not provided even the basic amenities.

In Tamilnadu the people belonging to the Narikoravar community are on the MBC list. The Government as well as the community based political parties have not heeded to the repeated pleas of the community to mark them under the category of SC/ST as in other states.

At Villupuram, Gingee,Tindivanam, Ulundurpet, Sankarapuram, Thirukoviloor, Vannoor and Kalla Kurichi in  Villupuram district, more than 3000 Narikoravars live in 18 villages of 8 taluks.  More than 60 are living with their families in Narikoravar Colony near Koliyanoor Junction road for the past 75 years.

Seven graduates from Narikoravar community in Tamil Nadu started a society called the ‘Tribal society’ in order to bring on development in their society through education.    Directed by this society, each one of them works in 3 districts thus reaching out to 24 districts in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry to build up  education in their community .

The special boarding school for Narikoravars in Narikoravar colony at Koliyanoor Junction Road  is run by the ‘ Tribal Society,’set off by the Narikoravar graduates.

The Government has allowed 2 teachers, a cook and a watchman to work here. But 6 more self-motivated volunteers have joined to provide education to the children. Totally 50 students including 23 girls study here.

Though this voluntary organization has come forward to give education the government has not provided basic facilities. An amount of Rs.680/- only is given as monthly expenses per child, at the rate of Rs. 5 for one session of food, calculated for three sessions, clothing and for other necessities.

All the 14 flats built in 1991 during the AIADMK rule on the land  given as free ‘patta’ in 1989 during the DMK rule have developed cracks. 

The government has not come forward to build a school though there is enough space for it, adjacent to the dented flats, where the outer pasting of the top floors is ripping off. Hence the school is functioning in a temporary shed opposite to these damaged flats.

The Government has not come forward to provide sanitation as they do not have proper sanitation facilities eventhough the residents have come forward to provide space for this purpose.

The Central Government’s ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhigyan’, project, ‘education for all’ is implemented all over the country in all the states. In Villupuram district alone there are more than 1000 children of the Narikoravar community who do not attend school. If a survey is conducted the number of children from below poverty line and Schedule tribes who do not attend school is likely to go up.

Unless the Government schemes reach out to the people of lowest strata of the society, the projects would not be a success.

To make the Villupuram district, which is highly backward in education, as a top district in the state, the Project ‘Education for All’ shouldn’t be on papers alone.  The officers should interact with the Narikoravars, bring in awareness so that they would send their children to school and provide good education. Then only, the dream of Dr. Abdul Kalam, our former President will become a reality that India would become a Super Power nation by 2020.

Status quo situation in Asha Kulam:

The Panchayat Union Elementary school started in 1999 at Salamedu Asha Kulam Narikoravar Colony, a place close to Villupuram, doesn’t have the basic facilities and suffers the same fate.

Special mention must be made of the fact that though a new building has been built for the school, the government hasn’t made any efforts to provide basic facilities. This shows the apathy and neglect of the Government towards the Narikoravars.