The heritage Nellikatte Government School building demolished in Puttur.
Puttur: The demolition of a 156-year-old heritage school building at Nellikatte in Puttur taluk of Dakshina Kannada district has kicked up a controversy, after which the DK deputy commissioner K V Rajendra has sought a report from the education department.
The heritage structure was built by the British East India Company in 1865 to cater to the schooling needs of the region. Jnanpith awardee Dr K Shivaram Karanth had also used the building to direct plays and the villagers had wanted the building to be restored as a memorial museum after the litterateur.
The building was razed overnight three days back by the school development and monitoring committee (SDMC) which claimed that the building was beyond repair.
According to SDMC president Panchakshari, a part of the dilapidated building collapsed when they tried to carry out some repair work on the building. The building was then razed as it posed threat to students as the school ground is located nearby.
Classes were not being held in the building for long and a proposal to restore the building was pending before the authorities.
Following an uproar from literary enthusiasts and villagers over the demolition, DK district deputy commissioner K V Rajendra has directed the deputy director of public instruction (DDPI) and zilla panchayat chief executive officer to submit a report on the incident.
People claimed that the SDMC did not have the authority to take a decision on demolition. They also did not inform the departments concerned before razing the structure.
The DDPI has now sought a report from the block education officer who has served a notice to SDMC and the school headmaster seeking an explanation on the circumstances that led to the demolition.
