The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Madurai News : `Establish common kitchen for midday meal scheme'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 23, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

`Establish common kitchen for midday meal scheme'

By Our Staff Reporter

MADURAI, JULY 22. The Kumbakonam fire accident has brought to the fore several disturbing factors and the foremost is having a kitchen close to the classrooms.

The State Government should consider having a common kitchen for a group of schools where the midday meal is provided to students. At least, immediate steps should be taken to ensure the kitchen did not function anywhere close to the classrooms, the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry has pleaded.

The chamber suggested that the State Government act tough not only on the management of schools that functioned from thatched structures but also the officials who failed to ensure orderliness in the system.

The schools should be directed to obtain a stability certificate for the buildings or structures.

The efforts made by the Government to direct the managements to replace the thatched roofs with non-flammable material should be sustained for posterity.

The Government should maintain a strict vigil to prevent the recurrence of the Kumbakonam incident, the chamber president, S. Rethinavelu, said.

The chamber has volunteered to provide financial assistance of Rs.2 lakhs to the students affected by fire and undergoing treatment at hospitals.

The money would be paid to the students through the chamber's branch at Kumbakonam and the Thanjavur Collector, Mr. Rethinavelu said.

The chamber organised a function here this evening to pay homage to the children. The names of all those, who had lost their lives, were printed on a board against an image of a rose for each.

Two minutes' silence was observed.

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