Corpn trying to shut down school to construct community hall: Arappor

CHENNAI: Requesting the Greater Chennai Corporation to cancel a council resolution that was passed to construct a community hall in place of a Corporation school in Chepauk, Arappor Iyakkam urged Chief Minister MK Stalin to take action against the concerned councillor and officials for passing the resolution 'fraudulently'.

In a petition, Jayaram Venkatesan, convenor of the organization, said that Madan Mohan, 114 Ward councillor, along with officials of education department of Chennai Corporation is trying to close down a Corporation Middle School in Bangaru Nagar in Chepauk and construct a community hall.

"The school was with a strength of around 115 children in 2021-22 and 2022-23 on a land of 8,000 square feet belonging to the Corporation. The school was with computer lab, library and parents were happy with the school. The parents and teachers were told that the school will be demolished and reconstructed and the children were moved to a Corporation school near Star Theatre and then children were later moved to Chennai Urdu Government Middle School in Vallaba Agraharam street with cramped up space. Children of 3 or 4 classes are clubbed and made to sit in a single room, " the petition said.

In December 2022, a resolution was passed to demolish the school and construct a new school building. A tender was finalized and the school was demolished.

The petition added, however, suddenly the parents of the school were told by officials that the school will not be reconstructed and that a community hall is going to be constructed at the place of the school instead. The parents along with the students also held a protest on April 18 in front of the school.

"However, with scant regard for the concerns of the students studying in this school, the councillor of Ward 114 who is also the zonal chairman of zone 9, S Madan Mohan sent a letter to the Commissioner/Council seeking approval for construction of community hall in the same place. A council resolution was passed on April 28 fraudulently and with ill intention seems to have purposefully misrepresented the previous council resolution passed in 2022," he alleged.

He urged the civic body to immediately cancel the concerned council resolution passed in April and undertake construction of the Corporation Middle school at Bangaru Street immediately.