Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Jun 1: Kalladka and Punacha high schools, which had hogged limelight all over the state two years back after the state government ordered stoppage of grant to these schools from Kollur Goddess Mookambika temple, have now been covered under the hot meal programme of the government.

The school management had taken it as a challenge and pooled donations from the people to continue to provide free food to students. Both the schools have this time requested themselves to be brought under the 'Akshara Dasoha' scheme of the government. The department has given its nod and supplied rice to both the schools.

 Ramanatha Rai  and Dr Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat

Sri Rama Vidya Kendra, Kalladka and Sri Devi High School, Punacha had approached the department during May end this year, seeking to be covered under the free lunch programme of the government beginning from the new academic year. The officials instantly responded to the request and began to supply rice under the scheme to these schools.

The Kalladka School falls under the administration of Vivekananda Education Society Puttur. It conducts classes from first standard to SSLC and degree course. The school up to seventh standard is unaided, while high school section is aided. As the school was provided grant for providing free lunch to students from Kollur temple in the past, the government was not providing food to both Punacha and Kalladka schools. After Kollur Temple was advised against extending this aid since March 2016, the schools were running lunch programme with aid from donors.

The denial of aid from Kollur temple had become controversial after Sangh Parivar outfits and BJP raked up the issue at various forums including the assembly. After the government changed subsequent to the election, the schools sent requests to be covered under the government scheme. The officials have agreed to supply rice, toor dal, oil etc to 908 students of Kalladka School and 127 students of Punacha school.

Although the schools failed to get fund from Kollur temple since the last two years, they were continued to be covered under a scheme of supplying milk for five days every week, the officials stated.

It is believed that the whole controversy surrounding the grant denial to these schools was a result of political tussle between RSS ideologue Dr Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat and former minister Ramanatha Rai.