What is Balajanaagraha Project?
Started in the year 2002, Balajanaagraha project is a civic education programme that aims at instilling civic responsibilities in the minds of the children. Today's Children void of knowledge about the civic issues in the society. Expecting them to transform into responsible citizens by participating in civic issues during their later part of life is unreasonable.
Often its mislead that students are uninterested or incapable in understanding and reacting to social issues. To the contrary, engaging and informing the children right from a young age on civic and social issues not only will enlighten them but will also inculcate the knowledge of being socially responsible citizen.
The programme believes that by embedding the principles of good citizenship in children, in turn will create a multiplier effect in the society.
Amongst the 25 cities from all the four zones (North, East, West and South) selected for the programme, Coimbatore is also one such city for hosting Balajanaagraha project.
Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) along with Aram Foundation Charitable Trust and Spice Foundation had launched the Balajanaagraha Project in five schools under the corporation. Students from Ammani Ammal - RS Puram, Selvapuram, Puliakulam, Krishnapuram and Peelamedu took part in this programme.
In a grand finale that was hosted in our city, Corporation Girls School Puliakulam bagged the first place with Selvapuram and Ammani Ammal school holding the second and third positions respectively. The students from Puliakulam school, will represent Coimbatore in the zonal civic festival that will be hosted at Bangalore on 7th January 2017.
Assignments given to students:
The selected students were divided into groups and each of the groups will be asked to choose a particular road/street which is approximately within 250mm from their school.
The students upon selection of the streets have to prepare a detailed analysis of the streets which would include, the number of residents and commercial establishments on the street, sanitation standards, street lights, availability of garbage bins, public toilet facilities, traffic conditions, bumpy roads, open drainage holes, water stagnation and other allied issues pertaining to the street.
Pictorial and graphical representation of the problems would also be put up by the team. A proposal sheet indicating the solutions for the problems spotted out in the streets along with ways of implementation also will be a part of the project.
By doing so, the students interact with the residents of the locale to understand the issues faced by them. The students also come to know the real-time work of the various departments like Corporation, Police, Traffic, PWD, TNEB departments and their roles played in the City.
Nandhini, an eighth grade student of Puliakulam school was awarded first prize for her brilliant presentation of the project combined with a realistic and practical solution report.
Prizes were distributed by Dr Vijayakarthikeyan, Corporation Commissioner, who expressed his appreciations and acclaimed that the students have really worked hard with zest. And, that they have proved yet again that they are at par with the students of private schools.
R. Raveendran from Residents Awareness Association of Coimbatore, (RAAC) along with Anand and Sailesh judged the contest.
