Students dismissed on instructions of chief educational officer
The bench had earlier asked the state to comply with the single bench order after the bar owners filed a contempt plea before the court arguing that the state was not considering their request for renewing licence. (Photo: DC archives)
Chennai: Director of Change India, A. Narayanan, has urged the school education secretary, to cancel the dismissal of four girl students of Tiruchengode Government Higher Secondary school for allegedly consuming liquor.
They were dismissed on the instructions of the Chief Educational Officer. In a letter to the official, Narayanan said he had filed writ petitions in the Madras high court in March 2013. A plea was to take specific steps to ensure effective and visible implementation of Rule 11 A of the Tamil Nadu liquor vending rules which prohibited serving of liquor at Tasmac outlets and bars to those aged below 21.
He had also sought setting aside rule 8(1) of TN liquor vending rule and said the distance between a Tasmac outlet and any educational institution should be increased by 500 metres.
The government assured the court that visible steps will be taken; but no steps had been taken as liquor is sold to adolescents freely. The government had not filed the counter for more than two years as a result the high court imposed penalty on the government.
He also said as students couldn’t think rationally, they are victims of social circumstances, external influences and peer pressure. It was the responsibility of the school to counsel the children and make them understand. Despite that if they continued drinking then such a drastic step should have been taken. “Dismissal was not a solution. The students should have been counselled.” When contacted, there was no response from the principal secretary.
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( Source : deccan chronicle )
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