INDIACSR News Network
LANJIGARH (Odisha): Two months after the closure of the Vedanta Alumina refinery at Lanjigarh the community living around the peripheral areas interacted with the management of the DAV Vedanta International School and requested them to sustain the only English Medium School in the region which provides quality education to their ward and assured full support of the entire community for the resumption of the operations soon.
Parents, more than 500 in numbers from Lanjigarh, Biswanathpur, Ambodala, Muniguda and other nearby villages came to the Parent-Teacher meet, convened by the Principal of the school Mrs. Shukla Chakrobarty, where Management Committee of the School was present. Dr. Mukesh Kumar, President & COO – Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL), Lanjigarh and Chairman of the Management Committee, Dr. Mukesh Kumar was present along with other members of the School Management Committee.
The parents informed the Committee about their concern arising due to temporary closure of the plant, as this may impact the functioning of the school. The management committee Chairman, Dr. Mukesh Kumar reiterated that this plant has been set up with the cooperation and support of the people and if people want Vedanta to continue, there is no threat and further development of the area shall be ensured by taking up the cause jointly. Mrs. Shukla Chakrobarty informed the parents that nearly Rs.4000-Rs.5000 per children per calendar month is borne by Vedanta and without such support, functioning of the school is not possible.
Radha Ratha, a resident of Lanjigarh, said, “Our children are fortunate that Vedanta is bearing all the cost for the education in this school. The quality of the education is incomparable. We want the plant to stay in our region so that community can be benefitted by more developmental activities of the company.” Many parents voiced their opinion and were thankful to VAL for its continuous support to school in such a tribal dominated place even after the crisis being faced by the company. Along with Mr. Rath many other parents such as Mohan Sahu, Gagan Sahu, Kamini Rai expressed their satisfaction with the progress & assured full support to the company and hoped that the plant shall stay forever.
Dr. Mukesh reiterated that the International school will continue to provide quality education the children in the locality. “This year onwards class XI and XII will be added consequently a biology lab has also been facilitated. A degree science college is also on the pipe line. Vedanta will take all possible steps to provide quality education to the inhabitants of Lanjigarh and its nearby areas as per Vedanta’s vision of making Kalahandi and especially Lanjigarh a developed area known for education, Health & Industrial Development.”
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