Schools reopen to festive atmosphere in Karnataka after summer vacation
Bengaluru, May 16: Schools reopened to a cheerful atmosphere in Karnataka after 35 days of summer vacation, as the academic year 2022-23 commenced on Monday.
Physical classes had been disrupted for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.
The education department and the government school authorities in Karnataka made elaborate arrangements to welcome children as the usual hustle-bustle along with chorus anthems and songs returned to the schools.
Students came in uniform to the decked-up classrooms.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai greeted children as well as the teachers on the occasion of reopening of schools as per the academic calendar across Karnataka.
"After a long time, schools have started. The education department made all the arrangements. They are welcoming children in a traditional manner to create a favourable atmosphere for learning," Bommai told reporters here.
He added that learning in school has always been effective and result-oriented. "We are ready to provide textbooks, clothes and bicycles. Let the classes resume because there was uncertainty over the resuming of schools. Our desire is to see children going to schools as they used to do before COVID-19," Bommai said.
At Devarachikkanahalli in Bannerghatta Road in Bengaluru, the principal, teachers and the students tied 'torana' (festoons of mango leaves) at the entrance of the school as well as classes.
In another city school, teachers welcomed students by putting vermilion on the forehead of the students and performed 'arati' to every student.
In many schools, students were offered sweets as well as a mid-day meal.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation on Monday said it resumed the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) Scheme in Bengaluru.
The Foundation, in a statement, said it will serve over 1,50,000 children studying in 1,200 schools in and around the city through its three kitchens in Rajajinagar, Guniagrahara, and Jigani from Monday.
The school lunch programme benefits lakhs of students from government and government-aided schools.
Akshaya Patra said its employees are fully vaccinated and trained to carefully adhere to the COVID safety protocols from preparing, packaging, and delivering food to the mapped schools.
"With the resumption of schools after 35 days, we have, today, curated a special menu for the beneficiaries, i.e., fortified white rice, green leaf sambar, and a sweet in the form of moong dal payasam. All the centres in Karnataka have served sweets in the mid-day meal menu today," the Foundation said.
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TMC worker shot dead in Bengal's Malda, two other party men injured
Malda (PTI): In less than a fortnight after a senior Trinamool Congress councillor was murdered in West Bengal's Malda district, a TMC worker was killed and two other party members were injured in a shootout incident in broad daylight in the same region on Tuesday, police said.
Like in the previous incident, police suspected that Tuesday's shootout was also a fallout of the party's infighting.
The deceased was identified as Ataul Haque alias Hasu Sheikh and the two injured are Bakul Sheikh, a TMC local committee president, and Esaruddin Sheikh, a senior officer said.
The incident took place in Kaliaganj area in the morning when the TMC local committee president along with party workers went to a function to inaugurate a road, an officer said.
"One of the party workers who were shot at was declared dead by doctors at the Malda Medical College and Hospital. Two others are undergoing treatment there, and their condition was stated to be critical," he said.
"We are questioning people and witnesses. So far, we have not arrested anyone in this matter," the police officer told PTI.
TMC councillor in Malda Dulal Sarkar was killed on January 2, and seven people have been arrested in this connection.
