The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : The long wait to resume schooling ends

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 16, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

The long wait to resume schooling ends

By Our Staff Reporter

Vijayan, who suffered burns in the Kumbakonam school fire last year, attending school at nearby Natham. — Photo: R. Shivaji Rao

KUMBAKONAM, FEB. 15. Vijayan, a Standard III, who suffered serious burns in the July 16, 2004 school fire accident at Kumbakonam, is a happy child now. He was treated in Apollo Hospitals, Chennai. Though he underwent plastic surgery, the burns were too serious and he needed continuous treatment. Doctors advised him against going to school immediately.

While other victims from the Krishna School, joined other institutions after the accident, Vijayan had to wait, as he had to go to the hospital every now and then. Finally, on February 8 he joined a school in his Natham village.

"I am happy that I joined this school. I don't want to waste my time and delay my studies. Now I am happy. But I have to go to Apollo Hospitals again to undergo plastic surgery as I have some problem in the hand," said Vijayan sitting in his classroom.

Doctors took skin from the boy's thigh and grafted it on to his face and hand. Further surgery is needed to make the skin smooth.

Along with Vijayan, two students (who recovered fully from their injuries) and 33 other children of the Krishna School are now studying in the Natham school. Thirteen children from Natham died in the accident. A school was started in a temporary building immediately after the accident, thanks to the efforts of the then Thanjavur Collector, J. Radhakrishnan. Round Table of India took up construction of a school building.

The present Collector, M. Veera Shanmugha Moni, opened the building on February 3. Now 56 children, 36 of them from the Krishna School, are studying in the new school.

After the accident, development works were undertaken in the village. Approach roads were laid from the Madras-Kumbakonam road to the village and to the cremation ground; a school was started; pucca houses were built for the families of the 13 victims; and the Indian Overseas Bank adopted the village and gave Rs. 10,000 as loan to each family. The Periyar community polytechnic college opened a tailoring centre, where 22 women of the village have been trained.

People still have some demands though. They want a bus service to their village as many students go to Kumbakonam for higher education.

The people also want a balwadi as 50 of the children are in the age group 1-3.

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