CHENNAI: At the third council meeting of the Chennai Corporation held on Tuesday, several councillors raised questions about stormwater drain work and development of basic infrastructure in their respective wards. The meeting, headed by Mayor R Priya, lasted just over two hours as zero hour was suspended considering the spike in Covid-19 cases.
Suspension of zero hour triggered strong protest from members, including ward 127 DMK councillor K Dhanasekaran, who is also the chairman of the standing committee on accounts, alleging that several senior members were not given enough time. The mayor and DMK leader N Ramalingam pacified them and said the zero hour was suspended due to rising Covid-19 cases. The council also passed several education-related resolutions, including formation of youth parliament in all corporation high and higher secondary schools from 2022-23 at Rs 2.2 lakh.
Under the initiative, students will recreate parliamentary proceedings, including parliamentary practices, assigning ministries and topics for debate, holding question hour and conducting youth parliament sessions. Teachers will also be given training and staff committees for youth parliament (SCYP) will be formed under HMs. The council also approved Rs 18.62 lakh spent on conducting exhibitions at school level, assistant education officers (AEOs) cluster level and GCC level.
Proposal to form gender clubs in schools to promote equality between men and women was also approved under Changing Moves and Changing Mind (CMCM) project. In 70 higher secondary schools, a group of 30 students each from Classes 6 to 8 will be formed under a middle school teacher. These groups will organise debates, group discussions and other school-level activities once every 15 days.
A monitoring committee with three teachers will also be formed to monitor the functioning of these clubs.
The council also fixed the quantum of money Rs 25,000 for primary schools, Rs 30,000 for middle schools, Rs 50,000 for high schools and higher secondary schools that could be spent by headmasters of corporation schools for undertaking small repairs.
Tasks in gender club
Thirty students each from classes 6 to 8 in 70 higher secondary schools will organise debates, group discussions, and other activities once every 15 days as part of the gender club