Villagers stage protest demanding repair of school building in Arasikere taluk

Residents of Neelagiri Kavalu village in Javagal hobli of Arasikere taluk, Hassan district, staged a protest on Tuesday demanding repair of the school building, which is in a dilapidated condition.

Organised under the banner of the All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO), the protest was attended by villagers, particularly parents of the 20 students enrolled in the school. They alleged that the roof and walls were very old and could collapse at any time, and said they were worried about their children’s safety.

School Development and Monitoring Committee president Umesh said the committee had made repeated appeals to elected representatives and officials for repairs but had received no positive response so far. Rainwater leaks into the classroom during the monsoon, making it difficult for students to stay inside and concentrate on their studies, he said.

Manjunath, a parent, said the State government had proposed to merge the school with the Karnataka Public School at Javagal. “That is why the government is not paying attention to improving infrastructure in this school. But we will not allow the government to shift the school,” he said.

AIDSO office-bearers Abhishek, Sushma and others took part in the protest.