The Hindu         07.01.2015  

Digital classrooms in city

The Coimbatore Corporation has readied four modern, digital classrooms with computers, internet connection and electronic equipment in as many schools to improve teaching-learning experience.

This could well arrest the declining student strength in schools, said Commissioner K. Vijayakarthikeyan.

Resolution

As per a resolution the Corporation had passed around four months ago, the Corporation had spent Rs. 1 crore to also install interactive boards in the classrooms, where students would get to see modules the teachers had prepared on various topics in textbooks.

The Corporation would supplement the audio-visual modules with those available in the public domain, he added.

The civic body had established the classrooms in its schools on Oppanakara Street, in Selvapuram, Udayampalayam, P.N. Pudur, and Peelamedu.

Extension

In phases, it would extend the facility to other middle and high schools, where students in classes six to nine would benefit by using the facility at least twice a week.

The classes would start this week, said the Commissioner.

The Corporation had taken up the digital classroom project after it found success in the project at the Maniakarampalayam School, where it had partnered with American India Foundation and Dell, for what was called the Digital Equaliser Programme.

In the four schools there were around 1,000 students who would benefit .

The Hindu       05.01.2015  

Namakkal Municipality to get new building soon

The Namakkal Municipality will soon get new building constructed at an outlay of Rs 4.5 crore on the Tiruchengode Road and a resolution to this effect was adopted at the Municipal Council meeting held here recently. 

The decision to construct new premises was taken following inadequate space in the present premises functioning on the Namakkal - Paramathi Road, for the proper functioning of the various departments of the municipality, the resolution said.

R. Karikalan, Municipal Chairman, presided over the meeting. The Namakkal municipality comprised 39 wards accounting for more than 1.25 lakh residents.

The people who visit the municipal office for the payment of house tax, water tax, and for collecting the birth and death certificates faced difficulty due to lack of adequate space. The proper maintenance of records has also posed a challenge here.

The residents of the town as well as municipal employees have been pleading for new, spacious premises for the municipality.

The new premises comprising two floors will come up on 20,000 square feet land on Tiruchengode Road.

During the deliberations, Kuppusamy (AIADMK) criticised the municipal authorities for not attaching due importance to the issues raised by the councillors.

High mast lamps

He said that high mast lamps at Salem road junction are not functioning for the past two months and no action has been taken to set them right, despite the issue being brought to the notice of the authorities.

Ashok Kumar, Commissioner said that since the equipment used in bringing down the high mast lamps is under repair, the municipality has taken steps to set them right with the help of a crane.

Vadivel (AIADMK) complained about the lack of adequate facilities in Anbu Nagar. It is more than 15 years since the colony came up. The residents are not getting even drinking water so far.

The cost for giving drinking water connection to this area will come up only to Rs 3.50 lakh and he pleaded with the authorities to accord priority for this project.

Sridhar (AIADMK) opposed the move of the municipality to renovate the present premises, at a time when it has planned to construct a new spacious building.

The members opposed the resolution of construction of modern air-conditioned bus shelters by a private concern at four points in the town with ATM facility. It was decided to take a decision on this issue at next meeting.