Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 5 (IANS): A move by the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation to set up a municipal solid waste based Compressed Biogas (CBG) plant on 20 acres of the prestigious Sainik School Kazhakoottam has triggered widespread anger among its alumni, parents and local residents.
The controversy erupted after a team of Corporation officials, including elected representatives and Mayor V.V. Rajesh, inspected the school campus on November 4 to assess the feasibility of setting up the proposed plant.
The news has sent shock waves through the school's students, parents, teachers and old boys' network.
Social media groups have been flooded with angry reactions from former students.
For them, Sainik School is not just an institution, it is where their lives took shape and their dreams began.
Established in 1962 under the Ministry of Defence, the school has produced generations of achievers.
Its alumni include serving and retired senior Defence officers, doctors, scientists, bureaucrats and several other distinguished personalities.
Some have also made their mark in the world of cinema, including award winning film personalities.
The bond with the school remains strong even after several decades.
This is evident from the huge participation at the annual get togethers organised by the Old Boys' Association, which has now entered its sixth decade.
More than 600 cadets currently live and study on the sprawling campus.
It is here that they train, play, eat and prepare for a future in the armed forces and other walks of life.
It is against this backdrop that the reported proposal to use 20 acres of the campus for a waste processing plant has caused such deep resentment.
Parents fear the impact of garbage truck movement, foul smell, noise, flies and other possible health and environmental problems on a residential school.
Residents of Kazhakoottam and nearby areas are also worried about the impact on their neighbourhoods.
The area has grown into a major residential and commercial hub, with Technopark, hospitals, schools and thousands of homes.
There are also questions about the suitability of bringing a municipal waste facility close to a Defence run institution that houses hundreds of young cadets.
Nobody is questioning the need for scientific waste management or clean energy, but alumni and parents are asking a simple question: Why should a school that has served the nation for over six decades be considered for such a facility?
They want the Corporation to drop the reported proposal and look for an alternative site away from schools and residential areas.
Alumni groups, parents and local residents are preparing to take up the issue with the Defence Ministry and the state government.
For the old boys, this is not merely a question of 20 acres of land, it is about protecting an institution that has shaped thousands of lives and continues to inspire generations.
(IANS)
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.