CUDDALORE: Parents of students studying at Panchayat Union Middle School in Sathavattam near Srimushnam refused to send their children to school for two days, demanding the removal of an encroachment on the school premises. The protest ended on Tuesday afternoon after Revenue Department officials cleared the encroachment.
The school has nearly 90 students from Classes 1 to 8. According to local sources, a private individual had encroached on the premises and surrounding areas and set up a shed.
"The Revenue Department had issued a notice to remove the encroachment in January, based on a Madras High Court order issued in November, but the structures remained. Upon the encroacher's request, the department granted an extension," a source said.
Two days ago, in police presence, the encroacher voluntarily removed the structures but left the debris nearby. Protesting this, villagers refused to send their children to school on Monday, demanding the complete removal of the encroachment.
The protesting parents said, "We will not send our children to school until the encroachments are fully removed. "
Revenue department officials from the Srimushnam taluk office and education department officials held talks with the protesters. However, no agreement was reached, so the parents took their children home. Following this, Virudhachalam District Primary Education Officer Paramasivam ordered an inquiry by the school's headmaster and instructed a report to be submitted.
On Tuesday morning, the protest continued, and no students attended classes. Later, Revenue Department officials cleared the encroachment completely. Following this, parents sent their children back to school in the afternoon, ending the protest. The issue had created tension in the area for the past two days.