VELLORE: Assembly Estimates Committee chairman K Anbalagan during a visit to the Govt HSS at Thorapadi in Vellore was taken aback on seeing students without footwear in a class.
When the slippers of the students were found outside the classroom, Anbalagan, was on inspection visits to various government facilities recently, asked the teacher about the reason for such a practice.
The teacher replied that the students voluntarily left their footwear outside to prevent dust entering the classroom. Anbalagan said not wearing footwear would affect the students more and added that it was also a question of self-respect.
He also pulled up school authorities for the non-functional RO water plant, napkin dispensing machine, broken water taps, broken benches in classrooms, and trash-filled compound.
Other places inspected included PWD, health, commercial taxes and registration departments.
Accompanying him were MLAs P Karthikeyan (Vellore), AP Nanda Kumar (Anaicut) and Amulu Vijayan (Gudiyattam), collector VR Subbulakshmi, DRO D Malathi, and other officials.