Munnar land encroachment

The large-scale constructions by the encroachers  in ecologically fragile Munnar would create big disasters. While huge land encroachments at Munnar and nearby areas pave way for heated exchanges between officials and party encroachers, the state government has failed to support the officials.. One just officer, sub-collector Sriram Venkitaraman, who is determined to effect HC order to get back goverrment land, is abused by land grabbers. The police disobeying the orders of the sub- collector  is a grave deriliction of duty. They should face the music.

Government land has been grabbed in the villages of Munnar using fabricated documents by  party members and other bigwigs. A detailed report to the state government prepared by a former revenue commissioner points out that huge amounts of land are held by big encroachers from outside Idukki. When revenue officials try to check the validity of the land, the planters resist the move with the help of local party goons

The land encroachments should be evicted immediately and for this adequate police protection should be given to the officials.

K A Solaman

Syllabus hues

The spat between NCERT and SCERT over the latter revising textbooks in Kerala is unwarranted. Though the NCERT claims its syllabus is best and in tune with international standards, the syllabus is incomprehensible to most secondary and higher secondary students of Kerala.

The NCERT expert-compiled syllabus often reflects the level of experts and not students. NCERT textbooks need a revision based on the opinion of behavioural therapists before they are presented before students.

The readability of NCERT books is poor and hence teachers resort to other means to teach students. In Kerala, there has been a dilution in the standard of examinations and evaluation of answer scripts, but not in the State syllabus. Those who prepare degree or plus two syllabuses are unaware of the high school syllabus. In high schools higher science and maths topics are included, neglecting totally the need of teaching basic science and maths. The net result is that students are destined to study advanced level topics  without  knowing its basics.

KA Solaman  Alappuzha
The Hindu Business Line
April 1 2017