The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : From ashes to temple of learning

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 22, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

From ashes to temple of learning

KATARAM (KARIMNAGAR DT): If Maoists are blasting Government offices in protest against alleged encounters in the district, the police are rebuilding the demolished structures.

In an inspiring move, the Godavarikhani sub-divisional police have embarked upon an ambitious task to take up developmental works in forest-dominated areas of the division where Maoists have blasted Government offices. Called `Vidvansam nundi vikasam' (development from destruction), the programme has been taken up by the Kataram police in this mandal headquarters 100 km from the district headquarters.

Maoists have blasted the forest guesthouse twice here, while the police have rebuilt the building and transformed it into a temple of learning by constructing a library and named it `maa grandalayam' (people's library).

The library was inaugurated on Tuesday by the Godavarikhani ASP, Ch. Srikanth in the presence of the DFO (East), M.A. Aleem, the Kataram CI, Md. Habeeb Khan, the SI, T. Ravi Kumar, the MPP, Mallaiah and other local bodies representatives of the circle. Earlier, villagers took out a rally denouncing naxalite violence and obstruction of development in the region.

The Godavarikhani ASP, Ch. Srikanth, said the ambitious project was taken up for the uplift of the people of the region and to expose them to development. "The library was the dream child of our motto for the development of this forest dominated naxalite affected area. Wherever Maoists resort to destructive acts, we will rebuild the demolished structure for the benefit of society," he maintained.

The Kataram CI, Md. Habeeb Khan, called upon the rural folk to revolt against Maoists. The Kataram MPP, Mallaiah, said they did not have a library in the mandal in spite of having four high schools and a junior college. He said the library would fulfil the requirements of the students.

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Andhra Pradesh