The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Ghazal Srinivas brings smile on their faces

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Friday, Mar 14, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Ghazal Srinivas brings smile on their faces

Staff Reporter

He visits Child Labour School being run by Bala Vikas Foundation

Teachers told to teach personal hygiene and nutrition to the children
He promises to ask for a waiver of monthly rental by GVMC

Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

Casting a spell: Ghazal Srinivas interacting with school children in Visakhapatnam on Thursday.—

VISAKHAPATNAM: Ghazal Srinivas literally cast a spell on the children of fisher folk not with his songs but with his sweet-talk.

The popular Telugu Ghazal singer visited the Child Labour School run by the Bal Vikas Foundation (BVF) near the Fishing Harbour on Thursday and mingled freely with the children for about half-an-hour. He squatted on the floor and extracted answers from the children after making them ‘feel at home’.

He announced the donation of books and stationery through the ‘Ghazal Charitable Trust’. They were all smiles and their hands immediately went up in the air when he asked: “Would you like to go on an excursion?”

“We will arrange the excursion only if you attend school regularly,” he added.

Donation

Mr. Srinivas applauded a girl when she sang the title song of a TV serial ‘Sunayana’. When a boy told him that many of the children were going home for lunch and not returning to school, he announced a personal donation of Rs.5,000 for the continuation of the mid-day meal scheme, that was temporarily withdrawn for Child Labour Schools due to some reasons.

He impressed upon them the need to attend school regularly and study well. He also warned them that they would be punished by the Labour Department if they go to work. “Reading is your work and you have to be here (school) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. We will arrange lunch and there is no need for you to home in the afternoon,” he said and took an assurance from them in this regard.

He spoke to BVF founder Narava Prakasa Rao and teachers Madhu Nageswari and Kumari and inquired about the problems in the running of the school. He told the teachers that apart from studies, the children should be taught personal hygiene and nutrition.

Mr. Srinivas said that Chairman of Vignan Group of Institutions L. Rattaiah had agreed to bear the excursion cost. He said: “It’s a pity that the Municipal Corporation is charging Rs.1,000 a month as rent for the school premises. I demand its waiver.”

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