Unused high school building turns haven for anti-socials

RANIPET: A high school building, which is ready and yet to inaugurated due to opposition from locals, has now reportedly become a haven for anti-socials.

The school building, constructed at Rs 77.11 lakh granted by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) at Pagavali village in Ranipet district in 2010-11, is being opposed by locals, as it is nearly 2 km away from the village on the foot of Pakkirimalai hill.

The school has a compound wall and houses five classrooms each on the ground floor and first floor, which also has space for a laboratory, and separate toilets for boys and girls.

A government higher secondary school head when contacted said, “any education official will welcome such a school as it has separate toilets for both sexes in addition to the compound wall which many government institutions lack.”

Heavy shrub growth blocking the way to the lab on one side of the structure.

“Why should we send our children to a school far away when there is a government middle school in the village. Why the officials did not upgrade the facility within our hamlet,” asks Elumalai, a local.

A visit to the spot revealed that the compound had become a dumping ground and the rooms were littered with used liquor bottles. The walls were full of graffiti. Around 20 doors of the 10 classrooms and the lab have been stolen.

The iron gates at the main entrance still stand though the compound wall has been broken through at the rear.

“The alternative to ensure that the building does not crumble is to hand it over to some government department or the police to set up offices. Or it can be used as a godown for the TN Civil Supplies Corporation,” said Ramachandran of Valluvambakkam village.

Collector S Valramathi could not be reached for comment on the school’s fate.