Educational institutions in Nilgiris to reopen today

[sajiv]

Educational institutions in Nilgiris to reopen today

Udhagamandalam: Educational institutions in the Nilgiris, which have remained closed for the past one week following heavy rain and landslides, will reopen on Wednesday. However, schools in the Ooty, Coonoor, Kotagiri and Kundah taluks will function only between 10.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m.

The new timings will be in force for about 20 days, said Khadi Board Minister K. Ramachandran at a press conference here on Tuesday.

The decision had been made keeping in mind the problems of students who resided far away from their schools.

Pointing out that the educational institutions had been asked to temporarily relax rules relating to uniforms, he said that since many students had lost their uniforms in the natural calamity, the government was taking steps to make up the loss.

It was estimated that the number of houses damaged was 2,511. Relief had been provided to a majority of those affected.

The flood and landslide-hit people had been moved to safer places along with those residing in flood and landslide-prone areas.

They were being provided with basic amenities and food including meat and eggs.

He acknowledged the role of non-governmental organisations and various service agencies in supplementing the efforts of the government.

Mr. Ramachandran said that bus services had been resumed in most of the affected areas. Buses would start plying soon on Ooty-Kotagiri and Ooty-Coonoor main roads. Power and water supply was almost normal. In most of the places, street lights had been repaired.

Standing crops on over 540 hectares had been affected. Tea auctions would be held this week.

Pointing out that he had carried out an inspection of the National Highway between Mettupalayam and Coonoor along with officials of the National Highways Authority of India, Rural Industries Minister Pongalur N.Palanisamy said that at about six places massive landslides had occurred. Even for temporary repairs it would take about 15 days.

To a query, he said that the process of selecting sites for constructing houses for those who had lost their houses had been initiated. A 25-acre site at Ketti and a five-acre site at Allanchi were being considered for the purpose.

A team from Chennai had come here to speed up the process, said the Nilgiris Collector Anandrao V.Patil.

Without the clearance of the Geological Survey of India the places would not be finalised. In the first phase, 100 temporary shelters would be provided. A committee would go into the factors that caused the landslides.

Later, Mr.Palanisamy distributed relief to some of the affected families.

Earlier, a meeting was held to review the relief work. Representatives of various panchayats participated.