The Tamil Nadu School Education department has directed block education officers (BEO) at Karamadai block to give hill allowance to government school teachers who work at hill station schools. According to a source in the school education department, if the schools are located at 372 m from the Mean Sea Level, as per norms, the school education department must provide hill allowance of Rs 6,000 and winter allowance of Rs 1,250 (from November to February) to government school teachers. 

"Teachers who work at hill stations like Valparai, Nilgiris and other districts have been receiving hill allowance except for winter allowance. At the same time, the school education department did not consider Karamadai as a hill station where five primary schools and one high school are functioning. A few teachers approached top officials seeking allowance. Meanwhile, Coimbatore MP PR Natarajan also urged that the government should give hill allowance to teachers at various hill places that are not considered hilly," sources added.

A teacher from Karamadai told TNIE, "In 1987, the government granted allowance to teachers for working at hill station schools. However, teachers who were working at Karamadai block approached the school education department, seeking allowance as per norms. The officials did not give this allowance citing various reasons." 

"Now, the school education department has permitted to provide an allowance to us after 33 years. Despite that, we requested the department to give allowance to aided school teachers too in Karamadai block," he said. When contacted, Chief Educational Officer N Geetha said that as per instruction, BEO has taken steps and they will get the allowance properly.