1.5 lakh dictionaries to be distributed to students

As part of the Learning Enhancement Programme of Sarva Siksha Abiyan (SSA), as many as 1,48,620 students belonging to SC, ST and girl students in government middle schools in the State will get English-English-Tamil dictionaries, said Dr. S. Kannappan, Joint Director, SSA, Education Department.

Dr. Kannappan told The Hindu on Friday that the scheme was introduced in 37 blocks in 14 districts where literacy rate among girls was found to be very low during the last academic year. The dictionary brought out by Tamil Nadu Text Book Society, priced at Rs.150, would be distributed to bright SC, ST students and girl students belonging to all communities who could not afford to buy it.

The chairperson of the dictionary project is Mr. S. Gomathinathan, Special Office ELT/Reader (Retired), Directorate of Teacher Education Research and Training, Chennai. The dictionary has 11,000 words with definitions in English and Tamil, synonyms and antonyms, information about word class and derivations, usage, phrases, 600 proverbs and an appendix.

Copies of the 700-page dictionary have already been delivered to all 30 educational districts in the State for distribution to the students. According to the SSA, each district was allotted 4,954 dictionaries.

The dictionaries would be distributed to students of Standard VI this year. The students eligible for the scheme would be identified by the heads of the institutions based on their academic performance and economic status, Dr. Kannappan said. .

As many as 37,000 dictionaries were distributed to SC, ST students and girl students of Standard VI in 37 blocks in 14 districts, which were identified under National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Level (NPEGEL) as districts having low literacy among girl children. Fifty Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV) run under SSA in the district exclusively for dropout girl children are included in it. The districts and blocks (in brackets) where the scheme was introduced last year are: Salem (Edapadi, Kadayampatti, Kolathur, Konganapuram, M. Chavadi, Yercaud, Nangavalli, Panamarathupatti, Sankari, Veerapandi), Villupuram (Kallakurichi, Rishivandiyam, Thirukkovilur, Thirunavlur, Thiruvennainallur, Thiyadurgam, Ulundurpet), Cuddalore (Mangalore, Nallur, Panruti), Perambalur (Ariyalur, Senthurai, T. Palur, Veppur), Sivagangai (S. Pudur), Namakkal (Kolli Hills, Mallasamudram), Dharmapuri (Pennagaram, Karimangalam, Palacode), Dindigul (Gujiliamapari, Natham), Erode (Ammapet, Andhiyur, Kundadam, Mulanur, Nambiyur, C.N. Palayam, Vallakkoil), Karur (Kadavur), Krishnagiri (Veppanapaplli, Shoolagiri, Kelamangalam), Tiruchi (Marungapuri), Tiruvannamalai (Thandrampattu, Javvadu Hills) and Virudhunagar (Narikudi).

Steps will be taken to enrol children in schools near their villages: Minister

School Education Minister Thangam Thennerasu unveiled heritage clubs in 184 government and eight aided schools in the district on Tuesday. He also inaugurated the 4th Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya School (KGBV) in Krishnagiri meant for girls belonging predominantly to the SC, ST, OBC and minorities in difficult areas

Speaking of the occasion, Mr. Thennarasu said the district has a special place in the history and its archaeological monuments dates back to Tippu Sultan.

The initiative of establishing Heritage Clubs in the schools was announced by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi at the initiative of the Education Department. Such Clubs would help students to know about lesser known archaeological important places. He said the three of the ‘Kadaiyezhu' kings – Valvil Ori, Adhyamaan and Nalli belong to this region. Regarding the expansion of the district museum, Mr. Thennarasu said the Government would take necessary steps provided land was allocated by the district administration.

The Minister also said that the enrolment rate of the children in Class I was 99 per cent which was highest in the nation. The Education Department would take all efforts to bring all the children enrolled in the schools nearby to their villages. The officials are making extra efforts to bring children from hilly and remote areas. As many as 13 schools have been upgraded during the current academic year which is highest in the State, the Minister pointed out.

As part of improving the education level of the educationally backward blocks, two model schools on the lines of the Kendriya Vidyalayas were established in Shoolagiri and Kelamangalam, each at a cost of Rs. 3 crore.

Mr. Thennarasu also released two books brought out by the Krishnagiri District Historical Research Centre. The first copy was received by E.G. Sugavanam, Krishnagiri MP.

Later, the Minister also gave away plaques to the best teachers and distributed bags, books and other materials to the five girls who were admitted to the newly-inaugurated KGBV School in Thaly. The students were also given a handbook on Heritage Clubs at the function.

In his welcome address former MLA and president Krishnagiri District Historical Centre K.A. Manoharan urged the Minister to conduct government function for King Nalli.

C. Prakasam, District Revenue Officer, presided over the function. G. Murthy, Chief Educational Officer, proposed a vote of thanks.

Troupe of Pachikanapalli Sevai Attam performed tribal dance.

Man responsible for pregnancy of teenager arrested

Man responsible for pregnancy of teenage girl was arrested by the police near Krishnagiri on Thursday evening.

According to police, B. Selvam (34) hailing from Chinnamuthur village near KRP Dam junction road was arrested by a special team of police while he was waiting at the Keelkuppam bus stand. He was remanded to15 days judicial custody. An order to this effect was given by the Pochampalli Judicial Magistrate M. Saravanan.

The culprit was lodged in Salem Central Prison on Thursday night, police sources here said.

Raped schoolgirl gives birth in Krishnagiri

A 14-year-old school girl, who was allegedly raped by her neighbour some months ago, gave birth to a male child on Wednesday in Tamil Nadu’s Krishnagiri district.

The girl, who was admitted to the Government Hospital in , gave birth to the baby boy after the doctors advised that an ‘abortion’ would endanger her life. Police said her school was informed since it was a case of a minor girl delivering a kid. The Krishnagiri Police then visited the hospital and recorded a statement from the girl. The accused was later quickly nabbed, arrested for raping a minor girl and remanded to judicial custody today, sources added. The minor girl was befriended by the accused Selvam, who worked in a petty shop run by the girl’s grandma, Police sources said on Thursday. Seduction Selvam over a period of time allured and seduced the girl, a ninth class student of the Government Girls Higher Secondary School at Arasampatti, before “repeatedly raping” her, sources said. This went unnoticed until her pregnancy was confirmed a few days ago. As the girl’s father is dead and her mother is working as casual labour in Chennai, her grandmother was unaware of the crime, police said.

Plea for train service between Jolarpet and Hosur via Krishnagiri

The Krishnagiri Rail/Bus Passengers Association has demanded the Railway Ministry to introduce a direct service between Jolarpet and Hosur via Krishnagiri and Shoolagiri.

Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, the president of the association, K. Ragavendran, said that an agitation would be held on January 24 near the round-tana in the district pressing for the demand. He said that a team of 15 office-bearers toured the district seeking public support. Joint Secretary of the association, D. Chandrasekar, who is also the secretary of the Krishnagiri District TNEB Pensioners' Association, said that a signature campaign was conducted last year in January and as many as two lakh signatures were obtained from the public in support of the demand and subsequently it was sent to Railway Minister Mamta Banerjee.

The Railway Board in its reply pointed out that a survey was conducted in 2008 and as per the survey the total project costs around Rs. 558. 24 crore

A team of officials from Southern Railway also conducted a survey during the first week of December last year. According to Southern Railway sources, that the project cost would be revised and would be sent to the Ministry for its approval.