COIMBATORE: Reacting to a controversy over an animal welfare organisation allegedly promoting veganism among school students, the City Corporation on Tuesday said it would conduct an inquiry in this regard.
Though the organisation denied being involved in such an act at the school level, the corporation said it has never allowed any third party individuals to conduct an orientation programme to students who study at schools within its limits.
A couple of months ago, the corporation revoked its permission that was given to Humane Animal Society to hold special sessions in its schools. It is said that the volunteers of the organisation reportedly promoted veganism among students, stress the fact that they should give up the habit of consuming meat, milk, and any animal product.
Corporation Commissioner J Sravan Kumar said an inquiry on how the organisation had conducted the sessions in schools would be initiated. If the teachers or school authorities are found guilty, the corporation may take departmental action on them, he added.
He said they had to check when and where the sessions were organised by the animal welfare organisation. However, sources from the corporation said they have identified a few corporation schools where the sessions might have been conducted.
Refuting the allegations levelled against the organisation, a Humane Animal Society volunteer V Aravindan, said they never had promoted veganism among school children.
"We conducted the sessions only to spread awareness about saving abandoned and stray dogs. The sessions also included topics on how to reduce stray dog menace. For about 10 minutes, students were briefed about veganism, which described the lifestyle and not only the food habit," he claimed.
"We did not insist the students give up the habit of eating meat or consuming milk. We also have the content was projected through slides," Aravindan added.