The students of Anchuruli, a tribal settlement in the Ayyappancoil forest range under the Kottayam forest division,Idukki, now have access to a library.
According to officials, the library has been established as part of the Idukki Oru Midukki project, coordinated by the District Skill Committee and the Idukki administration.
District skill coordinator Ranjith Kumar said the new library has already received furniture and 340 books through sponsorship. “More books will be made available in the library soon,” he said.
“The State government had earlier announced plans to give grace mark for students reading newspapers. English and Malayalam newspapers will be made available in the library, providing an opportunity for the tribal students to earn grace marks,” said Mr. Kumar.
The settlement is located approximately 7 km away from Kakkattukada that is on the Kattappana-Kuttikkanam highway. Ayyappan S.V., tribal head of the Anchuruli settlement, said 50 families live in the settlement, including 22 students, and this was the first time a library was established here. Mr. Ayyappan expressed hope that the library would offer valuable knowledge to the settlement’s students.
“We plan to welcome all students from the settlement to the library during the summer vacation,” Mr. Ayyappan said.
Mr. Kumar said there was also a plan to form a cricket team in the district under the Idukki Oru Midukki project. Model Residential School Painavu and St. George High School Vazhathope have already been selected for the project. Instructors will identify players from these schools, he said.
