TRICHY: A proposal to introduce English as a medium of instruction in Trichy corporation schools is still hanging in the balance and the system is unlikely to become a reality in the next academic year. Meanwhile, the teachers of corporation and government schools in the city are trying to rope in more students for enrolment.

On June 28, 2006, the Trichy corporation council passed a resolution to launch English as medium of instruction in six corporation-run schools, as a pilot project. The civic body had decided to embark on the proposal following the drop in admissions in corporation schools and to provide English medium education to the poverty-stricken students, particularly the children of its sanitary workers. Despite the resolution having been passed in 2006, the scheme did not find any mention in the recently-tabled corporation budget for 2013-14. "We are yet to take a final call on the matter. Initially, we sought suggestions from private English medium schools to provide quality education. But there was no positive response from their side. So, we have decided to introduce the scheme with the help of the parent teachers' associations in our schools now," corporation commissioner, V P Dhandapani, told TOI on Wednesday night.

Dhandapani also said, "We have to appoint more faculty through the Trichy corporation, to run the English medium. So, we seek support from the parent teachers associations to share the salary expenses for the faculty in order to reduce our burden. We should also collect a nominal fee from the students. However, it has not been finalised so far. Due to these constraints, the English medium will not be introduced in the next academic year."

At this juncture, the education department, especially the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) began creating awareness among the public to enrol their children in government schools instead of private institutions. For instance, the students of Pandamangalam South Municipality Government Elementary school students carried out a rally to create awareness about the government schools.

But the irony is that most of the government school teachers enrol their children in private schools considering the quality of education provided there. A headmaster of a corporation school said, "Nowadays, everyone, including us, want to provide education to our children through English medium. Since such facility is not available in our schools, we prefer private schools. But we expected that the English medium would be introduced this year. Now, it is not possible. So, it is clear that it will be tough to enrol more students this year."

TRICHY: Besides some proposed developmental works, the budget for 2013-14 has proposed the installation of solar systems in corporation-run schools and at the headquarters of the civic body. Similarly, the corporation once again included plans to shift some markets in the city considering the nuisance they are causing to the public and hindering traffic movement.

Though the project for solar power generation has been proposed in this budget, the idea for implementing it at the Trichy corporation's main office was mooted by the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) in August 2012. With the implementation of the solar power scheme, the corporation was expected to cut down the expenses on electricity and save Rs 10 lakh approximately. But the proposal was abandoned without any initiative after the state government unveiled its 'solar energy policy'. Now, the solar power project has found a place in this year's budget. As per the new proposal, the corporation has planned to power the corporation's main office through solar panels. The corporation has also allotted Rs 1 crore to provide solar power for all schools run by it. Moreover, the corporation has decided to improve the toilet facilities in 14 corporation-run schools.

Like previous years, the corporation has submitted its proposal for shifting of vendors from the fish market in Puthur and Gandhi market. The corporation has proposed to shift the Puthur market in the heart of the city to Kasi Vilangi Bridge on Kuzhumani Road. Interestingly, many of the wholesale fish vendors in the area are not even aware of the proposed place. "I don't know the exact location of the proposed site. But we want the corporation to shift it within the city limit," said A Joseph Selvanayagam, a wholesale shop owner in Puthur market. A fish vendor on condition of anonymity said, "The corporation had many times proposed to shift the market previously. But nothing happened to shift the market."

Another proposed plan is to shift the wholesale traders of banana, jaggery and onion from Gandhi market to G Corner. The corporation has taken the decision to ease traffic congestion caused due to these shops. This proposal was also pending for many years. Whenever the corporation decided to shift the shops, there was opposition from the traders and the people. At this juncture, the corporation has once again given proposal for its shifting.