KRISHNAGIRI: After a teacher cited the lack of bus services as the reason for reaching the school in a tribal hamlet late, TNSTC has clarified that it cannot change its service to cater to a few individuals, and stated that hundreds of other people depend on it.
TNIE, in its November 3 issue, published a report about a teacher of the panchayat union primary school at Beernapalli in Kottayur in Anchetti, and a few others in the locality, complaining that they could not come on time because the TNSTC bus starts from Anchetti at 9 am and reaches Kottayur around 10 am.
When contacted, Krishnagiri TNSTC divisional manager M Suresh Babu said “Around 130 students benefit by the service. It starts around 7.30 am from Jeenmanatham in Kottayur panchayat, from where 70 students reach Urigam school, then 40 and 20 students respectively from Thaggatti and Erumathanapalli use it to reach Anchetti school around 8.30 am. After a break, the bus starts at 9 am, in which staff from 22 government departments including India Post, health, school education travel, along with other passengers. We cannot change the timing to cater to a few teachers, and put hundreds of people into hardship.”
G Saravanan, a member of Kottayur panchayat welfare society, who raised the issue, said, “All we demand is that teachers should arrive on time or they should reside close to the school. We have given a petition to the district collector on this issue in July and demanded that either teachers come on time or handle classes on Saturday to compensate for the loss of education.”
Hosur DEO (Elementary) A Muniraj said he would suggest the teachers to hire a vehicle and travel as group to reach the school on time. Already, few group of teachers near Hosur are doing this, he added.