JOIN USThe works on the centenary building of Government Model Primary school which was instituted in 1889, has been going at a snail’s pace.
Many dignitaries and achievers including former chief minister R Gundu Rao, former forest minister B A Jeevijaya, hockey players B P Govind and S V Sunil have been students in the school. The plan for the centenary building was realised in 2007, during the tenure of the then MLA B A Jeevijaya, at a cost of Rs 1.75 crore.
Jeevijaya, Rajya Sabha MP Rehman Khan, former Union minister M V Rajashekharan and MLA Motamma contributed Rs 18 lakh, Rs four lakh, Rs 2.5 lakh, respectively. Also, a fund of Rs 15 lakh from Malenadu Development Board was utilised towards the work. But still, there was a requirement of Rs one crore towards the construction of the building, and it was planned to raise funds from old students and donors.
As per the proposed plan, the Centenary building was to come up at an area of 30 cents land, with a seating facility for 1,500 to 2,000 people. It was also planned to include kitchen and dining hall in the ground floor. For this, the old quarters of the Principal of the school was demolished.
Though the construction was started, as the assembly was dissolved, there was lack of funds and no elected representatives showed interest towards the building.
As the work has halted, weeds and shrubs have grown around the incomplete building and has become an abode for drunkards.
Centenary building Committee President J C Shekhar said that the present MLAs have been convinced of the significance of the building and efforts will be made to get funds to resume the construction work of the building.