Problems in Balugodu school: TP chief stresses on apolitical efforts

Addressing a news conference on Monday, Poonacha said that the issue should not be given political colour as it is related to students. She said that though the School warden Balu is facing many charges of corruption and lapses in performing his duties, both ZP President S N Rajarao as well as President of Standing Committee for Education Manu Muthappa are standing by him. “Ekalavya school has been in news for the last few years for wrong reasons and when I made attempt to solve the problems, many leaders called it a ‘political stunt’,” she added

In 2008, the then President of Taluk Panchayat Sumanth Ponnanna visited the residential school, inspected the school and submitted a report to ZP CEO about the lapses on the part of the warden Balu and the way he has been managing the residential school. Accordingly, decision was taken to suspend the Warden during Virajpet Taluk Panchayat review meeting. Later, when Dheergakeshi Shivanna became ZP President she had visited the school. She pointed that the Warden had not kept an account of the expenditures for over 4 months. She too had recommended action against the Warden to ZP CEO.

Poonacha said that when S N Rajarao was the President of the Standing Committee for Social Justice, he had visited the school and expressed contempt over the way the warden was managing the residential school. She questioned why Rajarao has changed his stand after becoming the ZP President.

“According to the rules a Warden can be suspended if he skips keeping even one day’s accounts. Balu had skipped accounts for four months yet he is continuing as the Warden of the school,” she said and opined that action must be taken against the Warden at the earliest.

Standing Committee for Social Justice President Shaji Achuthan and member J K Muthamma were present.