Unfinished school buildings in Wayanad lie abandoned amid delay in relocating Ashramam school

Mananthavady: The buildings constructed at Makkimala in Thavinjal panchayat, with crores of rupees spent under a plan to relocate the Thirunelli Model Residential School (Ashram School) to here, are now facing neglect and are overrun by weeds and shrubs.

The project, conceived during the tenure of the previous UDF government, aimed to shift the school to Makkimala and develop the new campus into a `Kalinga-model university' that would offer education from kindergarten to PhD levels. However, the ambitious plan never took off, leaving several of the buildings half-constructed and gradually deteriorating under the grip of wild vegetation.

Recently, the authorities decided to move the Thirunelli Model Residential School to Aralam Farm, considering the dilapidated condition of the existing school buildings. Though the relocation was scheduled for completion by the end of July this year, the lack of an electricity connection at the new site has delayed the move.

Meanwhile, the Congress has come out in protest against shifting the school from Thirunelli, demanding that a suitable site be identified within Wayanad district itself for the relocation. With this renewed debate, the abandoned structures at Makkimala have once again come under public discussion.

Authorities have now begun steps to install a transformer at Aralam Farm to ensure power supply to the proposed new campus.

Human rights body flags child rights violations at Thirunelli Ashramam School
The State Committee of the Human Rights Consumer Protection Council has filed complaints with the State Human Rights Commission and the Scheduled Tribe Development Department, alleging serious violations of child rights protection laws at the Thirunelli Ashramam School.

According to the complaint, the Ashramam School, run directly under the ST Department, had confined 172 girl students under extremely limited conditions with just three classrooms and only one toilet, for three months. This, the Council stated, amounts to a gross violation of human rights, a denial of justice and a caste-based affront. It further alleged that the authorities in the Tribal Development Department appear to operate under the assumption that students belonging to aboriginal tribal communities such as Adiya, Paniya and Kattunayka are bound to endure any form of mistreatment.

It also pointed out that the departments concerned have acknowledged their mistake after media reports exposed the situation, relocating 36 students soon after. Human Rights Consumer Protection Council State President P.J. John has warned that the organisation would launch a series of protests if strict action is not taken against the officials responsible for the situation.