KARAIKAL: Mentioning the free bicycles for school students to be in poor condition, Neravy-TR Pattinam MLA M Nagathiyagarajan refused to distribute them and demanded that the Puducherry government provide bicycles of good quality.
According to sources, the MLA was invited to the Government Higher Secondary Schools in TR Pattinam to distribute the bicycles. "I inspected the bicycles and was shocked to find that all the metal parts had become rusty, the other parts were loose and the bicycles barely had any sturdiness," M Nagathiyagarajan told TNIE.
The MLA was told that around 200 free bicycles were brought to the two schools in TR Pattinam around three months ago and were stored at the schools for distribution to high school students. He found that metal parts such as tubes, chain stay, seat post, handlebar, wheel spokes, wheel rim and frame lock were rusty, and parts such as the seat, pedals and handlebar grips were loose.
"The students may have to take the cycles to a shop and give them for repair works, which may cost them around Rs 1000 before they use them. How can underprivileged students afford it?" Nagathiyagarajan questioned.
The MLA called officials from the Puducherry education department and urged them to provide quality bicycles at the earliest. He also apologised to the students and said he would not distribute bicycles of bad quality to them. An official from the education department said, "Bicycles are provided to students under the scheme of the social welfare department. We will notify them about the conditions of free bicycles."